Hinson, Lahn rally GOP support at Storm Lake district convention

Ashley Hinson and Zach Lahn used Storm Lake’s Fourth District convention to press Buena Vista County Republicans for turnout, momentum and attention in a year that could reshape Iowa politics. The gathering took place Saturday at Schaller Memorial Chapel on the Buena Vista University campus, with delegate credentialing beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the convention starting at 10 a.m.

Their appearance carried added weight because both Republicans had skipped a Buena Vista University forum six days earlier that drew about 70 people. State Sen. Lynn Evans of Aurelia moderated that forum and warned GOP hopefuls not to ignore northwest Iowa, a reminder that Storm Lake and the surrounding county can still shape statewide conversation even as campaigns spread farther across Iowa. Hinson, Lahn, Randy Feenstra and Chris McGowan were invited to that forum but did not attend.

For Hinson, the Storm Lake stop fit a Senate campaign that is already drawing serious money. The Senate Leadership Fund has planned a $29 million Iowa investment to back her bid for the open U.S. Senate seat, and Hinson entered 2026 with more than $5.1 million cash on hand after raising over $2 million in the final quarter of 2025. Her campaign has leaned hard on her conservative record and Iowa ties as she works to solidify support before the June 2 Republican primary.

Lahn, a Republican gubernatorial candidate from Belle Plaine, has been trying to expand his profile beyond the Des Moines metro. He opened a campaign headquarters in West Des Moines on April 2 and has said the campaign will increase outreach before the primary. His stop in Storm Lake gave Buena Vista County Republicans a chance to see one of the newer faces in the governor’s race as he seeks to build statewide credibility.

The convention also underscored the local stakes in 2026. On the Democratic side, Storm Lake resident Ashley WolfTornabane is seeking the party’s nomination in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, giving local voters a direct connection to that race. Recent GOP events in the area have also drawn familiar county and state figures, including Steve King, Megan Jones, Gary Worthan and Sheriff Kory Elston, signaling that Buena Vista County remains a place where party leaders still come to measure support.

With the primary less than six weeks away, the Storm Lake convention showed a Republican operation eager to keep northwest Iowa in the fold. It also showed that candidates who miss the room once may not want to do it twice.