Two Dordt Professors Win in Iowa Primary Election

Two Dordt University professors have won seats in Iowa’s primary election, which took place on Tuesday, June 2.

Randy Feenstra, a Dordt business professor and an Iowa State Senator, won the Republican primary race against nine-term congressman Steve King of Iowa by a margin of nearly 10 points—45.7 to 36 percent. In November, Feenstra will face Democrat J.D. Scholten for the U.S. House of Representatives seat from Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District.

"I am grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support I have received in the campaign; it is humbling," says Feenstra. "I am so grateful for God’s plan that continues to unfold. Serving others is my passion. It’s why I serve in public office and why I love Dordt. Dordt has allowed me to help mold God’s image-bearers to be Christian lights in all parts of redeeming his creation. As I move forward in the election process, It’s God’s will on how the sphere of government can be changed through him working in me."

Dr. Jeff Taylor, a political science professor at Dordt, won the Republican nomination for the Iowa State Senate District 2 seat.

“In my classes at Dordt, I have always tried to share a real-world perspective with students,” says Taylor. “Government and politics are not just things we study; they are things we do. It’s important for Christians to not only be ‘as innocent as doves’ but also ‘as wise as serpents’ (as Jesus puts it). Serving in the legislature should give me new political examples and greater insight into the process—which will benefit Dordt students.”

“Dordt’s mission calls faculty and our community to ‘work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life,’ and this includes the political sphere,” says Dr. Erik Hoekstra, president of Dordt University. “Dordt faculty want to be involved in our communities and make a difference in the lives of others. I am excited for the ways Feenstra and Taylor can bring positive change to the political sphere and for the ways that Dordt students will be able to benefit from that work as well.”

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. For four years in a row, Dordt has been named number one in the nation for student engagement by The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review. To learn more, visit dordt.edu.