Inside Iowa Politics: Zach Lahn’s challenge to other GOP candidates for governor

JOHNSTON, Iowa -- (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) -- Zach Lahn -- a farmer and former political staffer from Belle Plaine who declined to take part in Tuesday night’s statewide debate with the Republican candidates for governor -- criticized U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra for not agreeing to the debate.

Iowa PBS hosted a debate and invited all five Republican candidates. State Representative Eddie Andrews of Johnston, former state Representative Brad Sherman of Williamsburg, and former Iowa Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen of Runnells were the only three to accept the debate invitation.

Lahn’s challenges to other candidates

Lahn said that he won’t debate if Feenstra will not. He held a news conference five hours before the Iowa PBS debate to challenge Feenstra to four debates across the state, 1-on-1 if necessary.

He also asked Andrews, Sherman, and Steen to refrain from debates unless Feenstra agrees to debate.

Lahn said that if Feenstra does not agree to debate, he will ask State Auditor Rob Sand, the Democratic candidate for governor, to join him in a series of debates across the state.

Feenstra response

Feenstra’s campaign spokesman Billy Fuerst responded to Lahn’s challenge:

“It’s flattering Zach Lahn recognizes the obvious fact that Randy holds a clear and commanding lead in the primary because Republicans want a leader who will defeat extreme liberal Rob Sand and stand with President Trump. We’ll leave the theatrics to the campaigns trailing badly.”

Former GOP candidate for governor criticizes decision to skip debates.

David Oman -- a Republican who ran for governor in 1998, is the only Iowan to serve as chief of staff for two governors (Bob Ray and Terry Branstad), and has advised state and federal candidates for decades -- said that debates still matter, even if as many Iowans don’t tune in as much as they once did.

Oman believes that not only could a debate help candidates introduce themselves to Iowans en masse, it could also distinguish a candidate from other candidates and prepare them for a potential general election matchup with Sand.