With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+16, it is the most Republican district in Iowa, a state with an all-Republican congressional delegation.

In 1958, when LeCompte did not run for reelection, Democrat Steven V. Carter defeated Republican John Kyl.

In 1961 the 4th Congressional District was expanded to include five central Iowa counties - Warren, Marion, Marshall, Tama and Benton[6] - but retained its rural character.

[8] The district was significantly altered after the 1990 census, when it was reconfigured to take in the southwest quadrant of the state from Des Moines to Council Bluffs.

[10] The 5th's incumbent congressman, Tom Latham, had his home in Alexander drawn into the 4th, and was elected from this district five times.

Additionally, King was the only Republican House member from Iowa during the 116th Congress, although he faced a close race in 2018 due to his long history of controversial comments.

In June 2020, Steve King was defeated in the Republican House primary by challenger Randy Feenstra.