November 3, 2026
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| Reporting | as of 8:18 AM CST | |||||||||||||||||||
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Sand: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Lahn: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Iowa |
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The 2026 Iowa gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Iowa. Democratic state auditor Rob Sand won the election against Republican businessman Zach Lahn by a comfortable 11-point margin. Republican incumbent Kim Reynolds did not seek a third term.
Primary elections were held on June 2, 2026. In the Republican primary, Representative Randy Feenstra emerged as the frontrunner after being endorsed by President Donald Trump, but Lahn won the nomination in an upset with 37.65% of the vote. Sand was the only candidate to qualify for the ballot in the Democratic primary.
Leading up to the election, Rob Sand was the only Democrat holding statewide elected office in Iowa, as the state has trended reliably red in recent years. With the incumbent's retirement and Sand's entry, pollsters considered the governor's mansion a potential offensive opportunity for Democrats. Aided by both his personal popularity as well as a national environment that was expected to favor his party, Sand led his opponent in the vast majority of pre-election polling, oftentimes outside the margin of error. Come election night, Rob Sand won, defeating Zach Lahn by a comfortable 11% margin. This was the first open gubernatorial election in Iowa since 2006 and the first to be held at the same time as the open Senate election since 1968. This was the first time since 2006 that Democrats won the governorship in Iowa.
Iowa is considered to be a moderate-to-strong red state, with both chambers of its state legislature controlled by the Republican Party. However, in special elections in 2025, Iowa Republicans lost their supermajority in the Iowa Senate. Republicans still maintain their supermajority in the Iowa House of Representatives that they won in 2024. The last time the Democratic Party won a gubernatorial election in Iowa was in 2006. All four members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa have been Republicans since 2022 and Republicans have won all U.S. Senate elections in Iowa since 2010, making Iowa's congressional delegation entirely Republican. In Presidential Elections, Iowa has voted for Republican President Donald Trump in his nationwide-win in 2016, loss in 2020, and win again in 2024, with Trump's and the Republican Party's vote-share increasing in every subsequent election. Sand, a Democrat, won statewide election in 2022 as state auditor by just 2,893 votes.
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Participants | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P Participant A Absent N Non-invitee I Invitee W Withdrawn | |||||||||
| Feenstra | Lahn | Sherman | Steen | Andrews | |||||
| 1 | April 28, 2026 | Iowa PBS | Kay Henderson | PBS | A | A | P | P | P |
| 2 | May 19, 2026 | KCCI | Amanda Rooker Dave Price |
KCCI | A | P | P | P | P |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Eddie Andrews |
Randy Feenstra |
Zach Lahn |
Brad Sherman |
Adam Steen |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JMC Analytics (R) | May 27–28, 2026 | 550 (A) | ± 4.2% | 4% | 22% | 24% | 8% | 15% | 27% |
| 4% | 24% | 27% | 9% | 16% | 19% | ||||
| Victory Enterprises (R) | April 14–15, 2026 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 5% | 41% | 8% | 5% | 9% | 32% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Zach Lahn | 80,765 | 37.7 | |
| Republican | Randy Feenstra | 79,113 | 36.9 | |
| Republican | Adam Steen | 31,087 | 14.5 | |
| Republican | Brad Sherman | 15,076 | 7.0 | |
| Republican | Eddie Andrews | 7,694 | 3.6 | |
| Write-in | 794 | 0.4 | ||
| Total votes | 214,529 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rob Sand | 189,442 | 99.6 | |
| Write-in | 751 | 0.4 | ||
| Total votes | 190,193 | 100.0 | ||
On June 2, the Gluba campaign submitted over 8,000 signatures to the Iowa Secretary of State, satisfying the 3,500 signature requirement to qualify for the ballot. However, he later got disqualified from the ballot as he did not follow the proper legal procedures when trying to substitute his running mate.
Though originally from Iowa, Zach Lahn faced scrutiny following reporting by The Des Moines Register that he lived in Kansas until 2023, when he allegedly returned to Iowa. Lahn registered to vote in Iowa on October 17, 2024, ahead of the 2024 election. The newspaper later reported that flight records indicated Lahn spent 75 nights in Wichita, Kansas, between October 2025 and spring 2026, frequently traveling there by private plane. Lahn said the trips were related to custody arrangements involving his children, who live in Kansas.

Rob Sand criticized Lahn as a "part-time Iowan" and a carpetbagger, arguing that his frequent travel to Kansas conflicted with his "Iowa First" campaign message. Sand, meanwhile, has faced criticism from Governor Kim Reynolds and other state Republicans, who have accused him of using high-profile audits and allegations of fraud to bolster his political profile.
In early September, The Des Moines Register reported that the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office was investigating Lahn's running mate, Wulf, for theft and fraud in relation to accusations that Wulf had misled lenders and business associates about his finances.
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report | Lean D (flip) | October 29, 2026 |
| Decision Desk HQ | Lean D (flip) | November 2, 2026 |
| Fox News | Lean D (flip) | November 1, 2026 |
| Inside Elections | Lean D (flip) | October 29, 2026 |
| NBC News | Lean D (flip) | November 2, 2026 |
| RealClearPolitics | Lean D (flip) | November 1, 2026 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean D (flip) | November 2, 2026 |
| Silver Bulletin | Likely D (flip) | November 2, 2026 |
| Campaign finance reports as of July 14, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | |
| Zach Lahn (R) | $1,218,702 | $3,060,944 | |
| Rob Sand (D) | $19,860,206 | $19,860,206 | |
| Source: Transparency USA | |||
| No. | Date | Host | Moderators | Link | Participants | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P Participant A Absent N Non-invitee I Invitee W Withdrawn | ||||||
| Rob Sand | Zach Lahn | |||||
| 1 | October 6, 2026 | KWQC and St. Ambrose University | William Ingalls, Marcia Lense and Matt Christensen | KCRG | P | P |
| 2 | October 14, 2026 | KTIV | Matt Breen, Dave Price and Justin Rust | KTIV | P | P |
| 3 | October 21, 2026 | Iowa PBS | Kay Henderson | Iowa PBS | W | W |
| 4 | October 27, 2026 | KCRG and The Gazette | Unknown | KCRG | P | P |
Aggregate polls
| Source of poll aggregation |
Dates administered |
Dates updated |
Zach Lahn (R) |
Rob Sand (D) |
Other/ Undecided |
Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 270toWin | October 8 – November 1, 2026 | November 2, 2026 | 44.6% | 51.6% | 3.8% | Sand +7.0% |
| Decision Desk HQ | through November 1, 2026 | November 2, 2026 | 45.1% | 51.3% | 3.6% | Sand +6.2% |
| FiftyPlusOne | through November 2, 2026 | November 2, 2026 | 44.3% | 52.0% | 3.7% | Sand +7.7% |
| RealClearPolitics | October 8 – November 1, 2026 | November 2, 2026 | 44.4% | 51.9% | 3.7% | Sand +7.5% |
| Silver Bulletin | through November 1, 2026 | November 2, 2026 | 44.5% | 51.8% | 3.7% | Sand +7.3% |
| Average | 44.6% | 51.7% | 3.7% | Sand +7.1% | ||
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Zach Lahn (R) |
Rob Sand (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AtlasIntel | October 28 – November 1, 2026 | 1,219 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 44% | 54% | 2% | 0% |
| New York Times/Siena University | October 26 – November 1, 2026 | 705 (LV) | ± 4.7% | 43% | 51% | 0% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports (R) | October 27–31, 2026 | 901 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 45% | 50% | 0% | 5% |
| YouGov | October 26–29, 2026 | 2,020 (LV) | ± 3.1% | 46% | 53% | 0% | 0% |
| co/efficient (R) | October 28, 2026 | 1,020 (LV) | ± 3.1% | 45% | 50% | — | 5% |
| Echelon Insights (R) | October 16–23, 2026 | 403 (LV) | ± 6.5% | 46% | 50% | — | 3% |
| co/efficient (R) | October 15–19, 2026 | 678 (LV) | ± 3.3% | 45% | 49% | — | 6% |
| GS Strategy Group (R)/ New River Strategies (D) |
October 9–13, 2026 | 602 (LV) | — | 43% | 54% | — | 3% |
| NPA Polling | October 8–12, 2026 | 678 (LV) | ± 3.8% | 45% | 50% | — | 5% |
| YouGov | October 6–12, 2026 | 2,245 (LV) | ± 3.1% | 44% | 50% | — | 6% |
| Marist University | October 8–11, 2026 | — (LV) | ± 6.6% | 45% | 52% | 2% | 2% |
| 1,100 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 43% | 54% | 1% | 2% | ||
| Emerson College | October 5–6, 2026 | 650 (LV) | ± 3.8% | 45% | 49% | 2% | 6% |
| SSRS | September 29 – October 5, 2026 | 801 (LV) | ± 4.2% | 42% | 51% | 7% | — |
| Suffolk University | October 1–4, 2026 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 43% | 55% | — | 2% |
| New York Times/Siena University | September 22 – October 1, 2026 | 606 (LV) | ± 4.6% | 41% | 52% | — | 7% |
| Beacon Research (D)/ Shaw & Co. Research (R) |
September 24–28, 2026 | 1,008 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 44% | 53% | — | 3% |
| 1,204 (RV) | ± 2.5% | 43% | 53% | 1% | 3% | ||
| Marist University | September 17–20, 2026 | 1,050 (RV) | ± 4.4% | 42% | 54% | 2% | 2% |
| co/efficient (R) | September 14–16, 2026 | 831 (LV) | ± 3.4% | 42% | 46% | – | 12% |
| Cygnal (R) | September 9–11, 2026 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 44% | 48% | — | 8% |
| YouGov | September 3–8, 2026 | 2,169 (RV) | ± 3.5% | 39% | 50% | 1% | 10% |
| 2,041 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 41% | 51% | — | 8% | ||
| Emerson College | August 31 – September 1, 2026 | 750 (LV) | ± 3.6% | 46% | 49% | — | 6% |
| Suffolk University | August 20–23, 2026 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 44% | 48% | — | 8% |
| Emerson College | August 2–4, 2026 | 712 (LV) | ± 3.7% | 43% | 48% | 2% | 7% |
| Beacon Research (D)/ Shaw & Co. Research (R) |
June 23–27, 2026 | 1,003 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 44% | 53% | — | 3% |
| New York Times/ Siena University |
June 15–27, 2026 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.7% | 47% | 48% | — | 5% |
| Cygnal (R) | June 16–19, 2026 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 43% | 48% | — | 9% |
Randy Feenstra vs. Rob Sand
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Randy Feenstra (R) |
Rob Sand (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echelon Insights | April 3–9, 2026 | 377 (LV) | ± 6.6% | 39% | 51% | 10% |
| GBAO (D) | March 10–16, 2026 | 1,200 (LV) | ± 2.8% | 42% | 50% | 8% |
| Z to A Research (D) | October 9–13, 2025 | 1,351 (LV) | ± 2.7% | 43% | 45% | 12% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 757,326 | 55.5% | +16.5% | ||
| Republican |
|
607,415 | 44.5% | −13.5% | |
| Write-in | |||||
| Total votes | 1,364,741 | 100.0 | |||
| Demographic subgroup | Sand | Lahn | % of total vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ideology | |||
| Liberals | 98 | 2 | 22 |
| Moderates | 74 | 26 | 39 |
| Conservatives | 13 | 86 | 39 |
| Party | |||
| Democrats | 98 | 2 | 28 |
| Republicans | 14 | 86 | 37 |
| Independents | 65 | 34 | 35 |
| Donald Trump job approval | |||
| Approve | 9 | 91 | 41 |
| Disapprove | 89 | 10 | 57 |
| 2024 presidential vote | |||
| Kamala Harris | 98 | 2 | 42 |
| Donald Trump | 16 | 83 | 49 |
| Another candidate | 74 | 20 | 2 |
| Did not vote | 75 | 25 | 5 |
| Gender | |||
| Men | 49 | 50 | 48 |
| Women | 60 | 39 | 51 |
| Income | |||
| $100,000 or more | 56 | 44 | 38 |
| $50,000-$99,999 | 53 | 47 | 34 |
| Less than $50,000 | 59 | 41 | 27 |
| Race/ethnicity | |||
| White | 54 | 45 | 91 |
| Latino | 65 | 34 | 3 |
| White born-again or evangelical Christian? | |||
| Yes | 25 | 75 | 24 |
| No | 65 | 34 | 76 |
| Race by gender | |||
| White men | 48 | 51 | 44 |
| White women | 59 | 40 | 46 |
| All other voters | 62 | 36 | 9 |
| Age | |||
| 18–29 years old | 72 | 28 | 11 |
| 30–44 years old | 59 | 40 | 20 |
| 45-64 years old | 50 | 49 | 34 |
| 65 and older | 53 | 47 | 36 |
| Area type | |||
| Urban | 71 | 28 | 16 |
| Suburban | 64 | 36 | 28 |
| Rural | 47 | 53 | 55 |
| Education | |||
| College graduate | 62 | 38 | 38 |
| No college degree | 51 | 48 | 62 |
| Education by race | |||
| White college graduates | 62 | 38 | 35 |
| Non-white college graduates | 67 | 32 | 3 |
| Whites without college | 50 | 50 | 56 |
| Non-whites without college | 64 | 36 | 6 |
| Education by gender and race | |||
| White women with college degrees | 66 | 34 | 19 |
| White women without college degrees | 55 | 44 | 27 |
| White men with college degrees | 56 | 43 | 16 |
| White men without college degrees | 44 | 55 | 28 |
| Voters of color | 65 | 34 | 10 |
| Educational attainment | |||
| Advanced degree | 70 | 30 | 13 |
| Bachelor's degree | 58 | 42 | 24 |
| Associate's degree | 49 | 50 | 16 |
| Some college | 51 | 48 | 19 |
| Never attended college | 53 | 46 | 27 |
Partisan and media clients
Rep. Grassley had previously said he was considering a run for governor
GOP State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann said he couldn't pass up the opportunity to run for [majority leader]. He originally was strongly considering a run for governor but said a statewide position isn't in the cards
Vander Plaats waved off any suggestion he might be compelled to seek the nomination himself. 'I'm not running,' he said.
Ames resident and Iowa State University student Sondra Wilson has filed paperwork with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board to run for governor as a no-party candidate in 2026.