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U.S. House · Iowa's 4th District

Northwest Iowa, including Sioux City, Fort Dodge, and Spencer

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

Chris McGowan, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
Chris McGowan178,85959.1%
Dave Dawson123,94940.9%

About 99% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • This is an open seat: incumbent Randy Feenstra (R) did not seek re-election to this seat, running instead for Iowa Governor. Feenstra and five other Republicans withdrew from the U.S. House primary before the June 2, 2026 election, and Chris McGowan advanced unopposed with 99.3% of the Republican primary vote. Dave Dawson (D), a former Iowa state legislator and prosecutor, defeated Stephanie Steiner and Ashley WolfTornabane in the June 2 Democratic primary with 39.0% of the vote. Cook Political Report rated the district R+15, the most Republican-leaning of Iowa's four districts.[1]

On the November 3 ballot · 3 candidates

Dave DawsonDFormer member, Iowa House of Representatives; prosecutorFull profile →Chris McGowanRPROJECTED WINNERFull profile →Jermaine DeckerINDFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Protect legal access to abortion

  • Dave Dawson
    —
  • Chris McGowan
    In their own words[4]
    “I am proud of my faith, devoted to my family, and committed to advancing freedom at home and abroad, including defending life from conception to natural death.”

    On the Vision page of his campaign website

  • Jermaine Decker
    —

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • Dave Dawson
    —
  • Chris McGowan
    Supports[4]

    McGowan's campaign site calls for completing border security efforts, stopping fentanyl flows, and supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement's removal operations.

  • Jermaine Decker
    —

Expand public health coverage

  • Dave Dawson
    Supports[6]

    At a January 2026 town hall, criticized the Medicaid funding cuts in the 2025 budget law and said they would harm children, people with disabilities, pregnant people and nursing-home residents.

  • Chris McGowan
    —
  • Jermaine Decker
    —

Research notes & limits

McGowan has no Ballotpedia narrative biography, so his background here is limited to what his own campaign site states about his family history in the district. Note: Feenstra withdrew from the Republican primary (running for governor instead) rather than losing a contested primary to McGowan, who advanced unopposed with 99.3% of the vote; this was corrected from an earlier draft that described McGowan as having 'defeated' Feenstra. Biography gaps: Decker's only public biographical material is his Ballotpedia profile and survey; no news profile or campaign website was found. McGowan's campaign website About page had no fetchable text, so his biography draws on news coverage of his announcement.

Sources · 22

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.Dave Dawson (Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey) · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  3. 3.McGowan for Iowa · McGowan for Iowa (campaign site) · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Vision · McGowan for Iowa (campaign site) · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  5. 5.Jermaine Decker (Candidate Connection survey responses) · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-08-23 Candidate's own words
  6. 6.Congresssional Candidate Dave Dawson Makes His Pitch At Town Hall · The Opinion-Tribune News report
  7. 7.Dave Dawson (Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey) · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  8. 8.David Dawson (politician) · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  9. 9.Dave Dawson announces candidacy for Iowa's 4th Congressional District · KTIV · 2025-08-27 News report
  10. 10.United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  11. 11.A former Democratic state lawmaker touts his service and experience as he eyes a congressional seat · Iowa Public Radio · 2025-08-28 News report
  12. 12.U.S. House, Iowa's 4th District results 2026 · NBC News News report
  13. 13.Sioux City native Chris McGowan announcing run for Iowa's 4th Congressional District · KTIV · 2025-06-25 News report
  14. 14.Chris McGowan becomes the first GOP candidate to the race for Iowa's 4th Congressional District · Iowa Public Radio · 2025-06-25 News report
  15. 15.McGowan for Iowa · McGowan for Iowa (campaign site) · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  16. 16.Vision · McGowan for Iowa (campaign site) · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  17. 17.United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  18. 18.Iowa 4th District: former state Rep. Dave Dawson wins Democratic primary · KTIV · 2026-06-03 News report
  19. 19.Iowa U.S. House District 4 election results 2026 · NBC News · 2026-11-09 News report
  20. 20.Jermaine Decker · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  21. 21.Jermaine Decker (Candidate Connection survey responses) · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-08-23 Candidate's own words
  22. 22.U.S. House, Iowa's 4th District results 2026 · NBC News News report