Storm Lake area residents got a chance to press Congressman Randy Feenstra directly on local issues Wednesday afternoon, as the Hull Republican brought his campaign for governor to Nutra Tech.
About 25 people attended the event, where Storm Lake’s rising water rates, workforce needs, and rural health care dominated the conversation.
Feenstra promised what he calls a more results-driven state government, saying he wants to “take Iowa to new heights.”
He laid out what he called four key priorities if elected: making Iowa the most business- and ag‑friendly state in the country, restoring what he described as “world‑class” education, keeping graduates in Iowa’s workforce, and improving health care access in rural communities.
On taxes, Feenstra said he wants to further lower and freeze property taxes, arguing many seniors and small businesses are being squeezed by rising bills.
Education was another major theme. Feenstra said Iowa has fallen from the top of national rankings and needs to return to basic academic fundamentals.
He also stressed workforce and “brain drain,” saying every high school graduate should leave school with a skill and a job lined up, and that Iowa has to give young people reasons to stay.
Health care and rural services drew some of the strongest comments. Feenstra pointed to his 15 years as a volunteer EMT in Hull and said response times and maternity care access in rural Iowa are falling behind.
He said he’s working with the Trump team on a plan aimed at lowering insurance premiums by directing more of each dollar to hospitals instead of insurance companies.
The visit also included a local question about Storm Lake’s water system. Residents told Feenstra rates are projected to double in the next five years and that the city has struggled to get help from Des Moines or Washington. Feenstra said this was the first he’d heard of an impasse, but pointed to past work with other cities on water projects.
He said major water and sewer upgrades are too expensive for residents to shoulder alone and argued that if the state wants better water quality, it needs to do more than offer revolving‑loan funds.
Immigration and workforce needs also came up, particularly relating to Storm Lake’s significant Hispanic labor force. One attendee raised concerns about the cost and complexity of citizenship. Feenstra said he’s pushing for a sponsorship‑based system that allows businesses to legally bring in the workers they need.
Feenstra closed by telling the Nutra Tech audience that he’s “not D.C.,” and said he wants to bring what he views as results‑oriented policy work from Congress back home to Iowa.
Other Republicans campaigning for governor are Adam Steen, Brad Sherman, Rep. Eddie Andrews and Zach Lahn. Democratic candidates include Rob Sand, Julie Stauch and Sondra Wilson.
