In Marshalltown, District 4 our Representative is Randy Feenstra. I’m not surprised if people don’t know that. He doesn’t talk to constituents, and he follows the national party establishment and corporate donors in their land grab for the CO2 pipeline. But some people are tired of that, including his Republican primary competitor, Kevin Virgil, who still has questions. Why isn’t he doing anything about Iowa’s high cancer rates, the number of children living in poverty, the disappearing family farm and the lack of mental health support?

Since Rep Feenstra isn’t bothered with these questions, his fellow Republican and primary opponent, Kevin Virgil, has endorsed the Democrat running against Feenstra, Ryan Melton.

“I never fathomed supporting a Democrat, and my politics still have little overlap with him. But I think I would rather have somebody in that seat with integrity who says what they believe and votes in accord with their principles.” Ryan Melton’s bid for the 4th district is a brave one. District 4 runs all the way up to Minnesota and gerrymanders down to Marshalltown. Feenstra has millions in PAC money. Ryan has less than $100,000 and doesn’t take PAC money. Republicans outnumber Democrats in District Four 2 to 1, but Ryan Melton is smart and passionate about rural Iowa. When he’s not at work at Nationwide Insurance in Nevada, he drives his 2014 Toyota Corolla around District 4 and meets with Republicans and Democrats alike. He finds his passion for rural Iowa, clean water and public schools is what most Iowans Democrats and Republicans in District 4 care about.