Iowa's 4th congressional district

Iowa's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers its northwestern part. The district includes Sioux City, Ames, Mason City, Fort Dodge, Boone and Carroll; it is currently represented by Republican Randy Feenstra, who has been in office since 2021.

Iowa's 4th congressional district
Iowa's 4th congressional district since January 3, 2013
Representative
  Randy Feenstra
RHull
Distribution
  • 50.58% urban
  • 49.42% rural
Population (2019)749,897
Median household
income
$58,270[1]
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+11[3]

History

Since the 1880s, there have been major changes in the location or nature of Iowa's 4th Congressional District. From 1886 until 1941, the district was made up of largely rural counties in northeastern Iowa, including the easternmost five counties in the northernmost two rows[4] (and, during the 1930s, Buchanan and Delaware counties from the third row).[5] During that era, the district included areas from Mason City east to the Mississippi River.

In 1941, Iowa's 5th Congressional District (made up of rural counties in southern Iowa) was renumbered as Iowa's 4th Congressional District, and counties in the old 4th District were placed in the 3rd District and the 2nd District.[6] (In 1942, 4th District incumbent, Henry O. Talle, would defeat the 2nd District incumbent William S. Jacobsen in the new 2nd Congressional District). From 1941 until 1960 the 4th Congressional District included the central five counties of each of the two southernmost tiers, plus four counties between Des Moines and Iowa City (Mahaska, Keokuk, Jasper and Poweshiek).[6] 5th District incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Karl M. LeCompte was reelected in the reconfigured 4th District in 1942, and was reelected in the next seven races. In 1958, when LeCompte did not run for reelection, Democrat Steven V. Carter defeated Republican John Kyl. A recurrence of cancer would claim Carter's life before the end of his only term, and Kyl won the special election and next general election. In 1961 the 4th Congressional District was expanded to include five central Iowa counties - Warren, Marion, Marshall, Tama and Benton[7] - but retained its rural character. Kyl held this seat until he was swept out in the massive Democratic landslide of 1964. However, he regained his old seat in 1966, and was reelected two more times.

The rural character of the district was changed when most of its territory was merged with the Des Moines-based 5th District of Democratic incumbent Neal Smith after the 1970 census. Polk County (home to Des Moines and most of its suburbs) was added, while most of the rural counties were taken out.[8] Smith defeated Kyl in the 1972 congressional election. The district became even less rural in 1981, when Story County (home of Ames) was added, and other rural counties were taken out.[9] The district was significantly altered after the 1990 census, when it was reconfigured to take in the southwest quadrant of the state from Des Moines to Council Bluffs. Smith was reelected in 1992, but defeated in 1994 by Republican Greg Ganske.

The 2001 remap made the 4th district a north-central Iowa district. It could not be said to be the successor of any of the previous districts. It was a primarily rural district, though it included Ames and Mason City. It did not include any of the state's nine largest cities, and only four of the twenty largest Iowa cities.[10] The plan went into effect in 2003 for the 108th U.S. Congress.[11] The 5th's incumbent congressman, Tom Latham, had his home in Alexander drawn into the 4th, and was elected from this district five times.

For the 2012 elections, the Iowa Legislature passed a plan that went into effect in 2013 for the 113th U.S. Congress. The district now covers the northwest corner of the state, and essentially merged the northern half of the old 5th District with the western third of the old 4th. The new map placed Latham and 5th District incumbent Steve King in the same district. Although the new 4th was geographically more Latham's district, he opted to move to the redrawn 3rd District, leaving King to take the seat. The current 4th district is by far the most conservative in Iowa - it was the only one of the state's four districts to be won by Mitt Romney in 2012, and Donald Trump carried it by over 25 points in 2016. Additionally, King was the only Republican House member from Iowa during the 116th Congress, although he faced a close race in 2018 due to his long history of controversial comments.

In June 2020, Steve King was defeated in the Republican House primary by challenger Randy Feenstra.

Statewide races since 2000

Election results from statewide races:

Office Year District Statewide Nationwide
President 2000 George W. Bush 49% – Al Gore 48% Gore Bush
2004 George W. Bush 51% – John Kerry 48% Bush
2008 Barack Obama 53% – John McCain 45% Obama Obama
2012 Mitt Romney 53% – Barack Obama 45%
2016 Donald Trump 61% – Hillary Clinton 34% Trump Trump
2020 Donald Trump 63% – Joe Biden 36% Biden

List of members representing the district

Member Party Term Cong
ress
Electoral history
District created March 4, 1863

Josiah B. Grinnell
Republican March 4, 1863 –
March 3, 1867
38th
39th
Elected in 1862.
Re-elected in 1864.
Lost renomination.

William Loughridge
Republican March 4, 1867 –
March 3, 1871
40th
41st
Elected in 1866.
Re-elected in 1868.
Lost renomination.

Madison M. Walden
Republican March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1873
42nd Elected in 1870.
Lost renomination.

Henry O. Pratt
Republican March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1877
43rd
44th
Elected in 1872.
Re-elected in 1874.
Retired.

Nathaniel C. Deering
Republican March 4, 1877 –
March 3, 1883
45th
46th
47th
Elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Retired.

Luman H. Weller
Greenback March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1885
48th Elected in 1882.
Lost re-election.

William E. Fuller
Republican March 4, 1885 –
March 3, 1889
49th
50th
Elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Lost renomination.

Joseph H. Sweney
Republican March 4, 1889 –
March 3, 1891
51st Elected in 1888.
Lost re-election.

Walter H. Butler
Democratic March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1893
52nd Elected in 1890.
Lost re-election.

Thomas Updegraff
Republican March 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1899
53rd
54th
55th
Elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Lost renomination.

Gilbert N. Haugen
Republican March 4, 1899 –
March 3, 1933
56th
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
Elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Lost re-election.

Fred Biermann
Democratic March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1939
73rd
74th
75th
Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Lost re-election.

Henry O. Talle
Republican January 3, 1939 –
January 3, 1943
76th
77th
Elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Redistricted to the 2nd district.

Karl M. LeCompte
Republican January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1959
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Retired.

Steven V. Carter
Democratic January 3, 1959 –
November 4, 1959
86th Elected in 1958.
Died.
Vacant November 4, 1959 –
December 15, 1959

John H. Kyl
Republican December 15, 1959 –
January 3, 1965
86th
87th
88th
Elected to finish Carter's term.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Lost re-election.

Bert Bandstra
Democratic January 3, 1965 –
January 3, 1967
89th Elected in 1964.
Lost re-election.

John H. Kyl
Republican January 3, 1967 –
January 3, 1973
90th
91st
92nd
Elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Lost re-election.

Neal E. Smith
Democratic January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1995
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Lost re-election.

Greg Ganske
Republican January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 2003
104th
105th
106th
107th
Elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Redistricted to the 3rd district but retired to run for U.S. senator.

Tom Latham
Republican January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2013
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Redistricted to the 3rd district.

Steve King
Republican January 3, 2013 –
January 3, 2021
113th
114th
115th
116th
Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Lost re-nomination.

Randy Feenstra
Republican January 3, 2021 –
Present
117th Elected in 2020.

Historical election results

Year[12] Winner Second Percentage
Party affiliation Candidate Votes Party affiliation Candidate Votes
1920 Republican Gilbert N. Haugen 53,083 Democratic Carl Evans 18,104 75%–25%
1922 32,586 A. M. Schanke 24,532 57%–43%
1924 50,850 J. M. Berry 20,636 71%–29%
1926 30,611 Frank E. Howard 20,076 60%–40%
1928 50,488 Erwin Larson 31,968 61%–39%
1930 29,224 Wilbur L. Peck 20,236 59%–41%
1932 Democratic Fred Biermann 62,598 Republican Gilbert N. Haugen 42,207 59%–41%
1934 49,504 C. A. Benson 43,794 52%–46%
1936 56,308 Henry O. Talle 51,805 51%–47%
1938 Republican Henry O. Talle 48,640 Democratic Fred Biermann 44,601 52%–48%
1940 66,691 Morgan J. McEnaney 51,558 56%–44%
1942 Karl M. LeCompte 52,258 Thomas L. Curran 28,745 65%–35%
1944 59,658 Harold J. Fleck 49,098 55%–45%
1946 43,753 A. E. Augustine 31,203 58%–42%
1948 53,384 Steven V. Carter 49,894 52%–48%
1950 51,168 38,649 57%–43%
1952 73,317 Earl E. Glassburner 44,900 62%–38%
1954 49,608 Herschel C. Loveless 39,652 56%–44%
1956 58,024 Steven V. Carter 56,406 51%–49%
1958 Democratic Steven V. Carter 42,479 Republican John Henry Kyl 39,233 52%–48%
1960 Republican John Henry Kyl 65,016 Democratic C. Edwin Gilmour 49,918 57%–43%
1962 65,538 Gene W. Glenn 51,810 56%–44%
1964 Democratic Bert Bandstra 85,518 Republican John Henry Kyl 73,898 54%–46%
1966 Republican John Henry Kyl 65,259 Democratic Bert Bandstra 61,074 52%–48%
1968 83,259 71,134 54%–46%
1970 59,396 Roger Blobaum 49,369 55%–45%
1972 Democratic Neal Edward Smith 123,431 Republican John Henry Kyl 85,156 59%–41%
1974 91,755 Chuck Dick 53,756 61%–35%
1976 145,343 Charles E. Minor 65,013 69%–31%
1978 88,526 48,308 65%–35%
1980 117,896 Donald C. Young 100,335 54%–36%
1982 118,849 Dave Readinger 60,534 66%–34%
1984 136,922 Robert R. Lockard 88,717 61%–39%
1986 107,271 49,641 68%–32%
1988 157,065 Paul Lunde 62,056 72%–28%
1990 127,812 unopposed 2,778 98%–2%
1992 158,610 Republican Paul Lunde 94,045 62%–37%
1994 Republican Greg Ganske 111,935 Democratic Neal Edward Smith 98,824 53%–46%
1996 133,419 Connie McBurney 119,790 52%–47%
1998 129,942 Jon Dvorak 67,550 65%–34%
2000 169,267 Michael L. Huston 101,112 61%–37%
2002 Tom Latham 115,430 John Norris 90,784 55%–43%
2004 181,294 Paul W. Johnson 116,121 61%–39%
2006 120,512 Selden Spencer 89,994 57%–43%
2008 184,529 Becky Greenwald 119,927 60%–39%
2010 152,588 Bill Maske 74,300 64%–31%
2012 Steve King 200,831 Christie Vilsack 168,323 53%–45%
2014 169,141 Jim Mowrer 104,873 62%–38%
2016 226,719 Kim Weaver 142,993 61%–39%
2018 157,275 J. D. Scholten 146,737 50.3%–47.0%
2020 Randy Feenstra 237,369 144,761 62.0%–37.8%

Recent election results

2002

2002 Iowa's 4th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Latham* 115,430 54.77
Democratic John Norris 90,784 43.07
Libertarian Terry L. Wilson 2,952 1.40
Independent Jim Hennager 1,544 0.73
No party Others 64 0.03
Total votes 210,774 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold
  • Note: Jim Hennager ran on the Earth Federation Party platform on the ballot.

2004

2004 Iowa's 4th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Latham* 181,294 60.93
Democratic Paul W. Johnson 116,121 39.02
No party Others 151 0.05
Total votes 297,566 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

2006

2006 Iowa's 4th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Latham* 121,650 57.19
Democratic Selden Spencer 90,982 42.77
No party Others 98 0.05
Total votes 212,730 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

2008

2008 Iowa's 4th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Latham* 185,458 60.53
Democratic Becky Greenwald 120,746 39.41
No party Others 197 0.06
Total votes 306,401 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

2010

2010 Iowa's 4th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Latham* 152,588 65.62
Democratic Bill Maske 74,300 31.95
Independent Dan Lensing 5,499 2.37
No party Others 132 0.06
Total votes 232,519 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

2012

2012 Iowa's 4th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve King* 200,063 51.69
Democratic Christie Vilsack 169,470 43.78
Independent Martin James Monroe 8,124 2.10
No party Others 226
Total votes 387,079 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

2014

2014 Iowa's 4th congressional district election[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve King (incumbent) 169,834 61.6
Democratic Jim Mowrer 105,504 38.3
Write-ins 295 0.1
Total votes 275,633 100
Republican hold

2016

2016 Iowa's 4th congressional district election[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve King (incumbent) 226,719 61.23
Democratic Kim Weaver 142,993 38.62
Write-ins 547 0.15
Total votes 370,259 100
Republican hold

2018

2018 Iowa's 4th congressional district election[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Steve King (incumbent) 157,275 50.33 −10.9
Democratic J. D. Scholten 146,737 46.96 +8.34
Libertarian Charles Aldrich 6,315 2.02 +2.02
Independent Edward Peterson 1,940 0.62 +0.62
Write-ins 201 0.06 −0.09
Majority 10,538 3.37
Turnout 312,468 100
Republican hold Swing –19.24

2020

Iowa's 4th congressional district, 2020[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Randy Feenstra 237,369 62.0
Democratic J. D. Scholten 144,761 37.8
Write-in 892 0.2
Total votes 383,022 100.0
Republican hold

Historical district boundaries

2003 - 2013

See also

References

  1. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
  2. https://censusreporter.org/profiles/50000US1904-congressional-district-4-ia/
  3. "Partisan Voting Index – Districts of the 115th Congress" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  4. "The Congressional Districts," Waterloo Courier, 1886-04-14 at 4; Iowa's Official Register (1930).
  5. Iowa's Official Register, 1933-34, at 6.
  6. Iowa's Official Register, 1943-1944, at 15.
  7. "Another redrawing," Ames Daily Tribune, 1970-07-07 at 4.
  8. Iowa Official Register, 1973-74, at 30.
  9. Iowa Official Register, 1983-84, at 46.
  10. Iowa League of Cities,Population of Iowa Cities of 8,000 or More Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 2008-07-27.
  11. "2001 Iowa Redistricting Plan,". 2001. Archived from the original on 2006-10-16. Retrieved 2006-11-10.
  12. "Election Statistics,". 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-07-25.
  13. "Iowa General Election 2014". Iowa Secretary of State. 2014-11-04. Archived from the original on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2014-12-19.
  14. "Iowa General Election 2014". Iowa Secretary of State. 2014-11-04. Archived from the original on 2016-12-24. Retrieved 2014-12-19.
  15. "Iowa General Election 2018". Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  16. "General Election - 2020 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State.
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