Democrat Rob Sand wins election to become Iowa governor, AP projects
Iowa Auditor Rob Sand delivered his victory speech after preliminary results showed his victory in the Iowa gubernatorial race at the Iowa Historical Building and Museum Nov. 3, 2026. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch
November 3, 2026
Democrat Rob Sand will be Iowa’s next governor, the Associated Press projected Tuesday, ending more than a decade of a Republican trifecta of control at the Iowa Capitol with his defeat of Republican Zach Lahn.
The race has received significant attention as it represented a chance for Democrats to break up GOP control over the Iowa state government for several years. It is also the first time in more than a decade that Iowa’s gubernatorial race was an open competition, as Gov. Kim Reynolds, the incumbent Republican, announced she would not seek reelection.
Unofficial results show Sand with 57.7% of the vote and Lahn with 42.3%, with 76% of precincts reporting.
The Democratic governor-elect addressed Democrats and supporters at an election night watch party held at the Iowa Historical Building and Museum in Des Moines shortly after the race was called. Using the entrance song “Enter the Sandman,” the Democrat joined his family and running mate Dave Muhlbauer to address the crowd and thanked his bipartisan coalition of supporters.
“Thank you to Republican, independent, public endorsers of this campaign for your courage and for your leadership, genuinely,” Sand said. “We do live in a broken, two-choice political system where it requires real listening to learn that a candidate that is in the other party doesn’t see you as the enemy. You listened. … Iowa Democrats. You’ve had a hard few years here in Iowa, but balanced government has been restored.”
Though Sand is a Democrat, he continually distanced himself from the Democratic Party during the campaign cycle, stating he was a moderate and independent of party control. But he also stated the need for Iowans to put a check on Republicans’ power in Iowa. Sand has argued Republicans’ decade of one-party control in Iowa has led more corruption and less accountability in state government.
He also had a message to Iowans who did not support his campaign: “You are going to see me out and about. I hope that you stop me, and I hope you introduce yourself, and I hope you kindly tell me why you didn’t vote for me.”
“I hope you also keep an open mind, because you’re going to get to know me better over the next four years, and maybe you’ll feel differently the next time,” Sand said.
Just as he had done at campaign rallies throughout the state, Sand asked the crowd to sing “America the Beautiful” with him. He said his campaign victory shows that Iowa voters want to bridge party divides to find common ground, and that they agree, “our best work when we’re forced to work together.”
“Tonight, Iowans sent a clear message: they want government not to work for a few insiders or special interests or for one party, but for all Iowans,” Sand said. “Since the beginning of this campaign, it’s been about being something bigger than Democrats versus Republicans. It’s been about our shared yearning to be one with our neighbors. And it’s about speaking that indisputable truth that our leaders, like most of us, should be seeking an Iowa that isn’t redder or bluer, but better and truer.”
Sand is expected to work with a Republican-controlled state Legislature after he takes office in January. At a rally with Republican candidates and supporters, Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann said though it was a “disappointing evening” for conservatives, the Iowa Legislature still stands as a barrier to liberal policies at the state level.
“There’s still a red wall out there, and the red wall is called the Iowa legislature,” Kaufmann said. “And if there is any kind of — call it whatever you want, blue wave, a historical trend that manifested itself — it will come crashing against the Iowa legislature. And there it will end in common sense.”
Sand said the election results proved issues like government transparency, support for Iowa public schools and addressing the state’s cancer crisis were what Iowans want their government to address.
“To Iowa’s legislators, I look forward to working with you on the same common sense ideas and solutions that we advocated for throughout this campaign,” Sand said. “Iowans … voted for these issues. They are broadly popular, and we would all do well to pass them into reality.”
Democrats had a relatively quick path uniting behind Sand as the party nominee after he launched his campaign in May 2025. But the path to find Reynolds’ potential successor was more complicated for Republicans. There were five candidates competing in June to become the GOP gubernatorial nominee, including U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who received President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the primary and was considered by some to be the establishment pick.
But Lahn, who centered his primary campaign on issues of water quality, cancer and support for “Make America Healthy Again” efforts, emerged as the victor. With more attention on Lahn as the nominee, more information about his background came to light — particularly regarding his previous residency in Kansas.
The Kansas Reflector reported he registered to vote in Iowa in 2024, but had previously lived in and been a registered voter in Kansas, where he launched a private pre-K through 12th-grade school named Wonder financed by the Koch family. More reporting found Lahn frequently flew his personal aircraft from Iowa to Kansas, which Lahn said was because he has a “blended family” with some children based out of Wichita, Kansas.
Sand has talked about Lahn’s former residency in Kansas on the campaign trail, often referencing a Lahn campaign ad where his opponent said “Iowa jobs are for Iowans” — which Sand says includes the job of Iowa governor. But Lahn has said the campaign ads and statements about his residency were an attack on his children and family.
Lahn, addressing Republicans Tuesday night, thanked his supporters for their work during the election cycle — and said though he did not win, he believed Iowa Republicans will remain committed to the messages of his campaign on defending Iowa’s “culture” and making the state healthier.
“This is my message to the Legislature, to Chairman Kaufmann: What do we do right now? Right now is when we fight. We have to fight,” Lahn said.
The Republican candidate also thanked Sand for a “spirited campaign,” saying, “we clearly have very different ideas, very different visions about the future of Iowa.” But he also said, “I wish him well in this. He’ll be in our prayers.”
Sand’s family connections were also brought up during the campaign season, criticizing the Democrat for receiving money from the family of his his wife, Christine Lauridsen Sand, the CEO of the Lauridsen Group, Inc., a business that operating several food and health products companies.
When a member of the Lauridsen family died in October, Walter E. Lauridsen II, Lahn and other Republicans offered condolences to the family. The Lahn campaign said they were supportive of the Democrat’s decision to withdraw from a debate following his brother-in-law’s death, saying in a statement, “some things are bigger than politics.”
Sand reflected on his wife’s comment after her brother’s death as he spoke. “She had been bracing for a difficult October, and yet everything that we imagined it would be was nothing compared to how hard it has been losing Walter,” he said. He also thanked Lahn for his work in the race, and said the candidate’s primary win showcased Iowans’ priorities.
“I’m glad to see someone win a Republican nomination talking about water quality and talk about cancer,” Sand said. “So let’s use that bipartisan support from Iowa voters to actually get our water cleaned up.”
Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com.
