Trump Consultants Rally Around Chris McGowan for Congress

Officials tied to President Donald Trump’s political operation are rallying around Chris McGowan in Iowa, as he runs for the open House seat vacated by Rep. Randy Feenstra, who is running for governor.

The seat is solidly Republican, but the primary is expected to be heated — having top Trump lieutenants join McGowan’s team is a sign that MAGA-world is starting to coalesce around him.

Tim Saler, Blaise Hazelwood and Juston Johnson — all partners at Grassroots Targeting — will run the Iowa Always super PAC backing McGowan, a source with knowledge of the group told NOTUS. Saler ran the data team for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, while Hazelwood and Johnson are both former political directors at the Republican National Committee. Johnson also ran Iowa for Trump’s campaign in 2016.

Trump pollsters David Lee and Travis Tunis of the firm Fabrizio, Lee & Associates will run polling for the group.

Additionally, Ryan Smith of Rapid Loop Consulting will be in charge of mail for the super PAC and is a former business partner of James Blair, who is now the White House deputy chief of staff.

The super PAC registered with the FEC in July and is set to start working for McGowan in the coming weeks. McGowan, 58, is the president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce and previously served in the Iowa Air National Guard.

This deep roster of Trumpworld consultants is sure to help McGowan in the Republican primary. Iowa state House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl and Kyle Larsen, a farmer and land appraiser, are also running.