Iowa Governor Election 2026
Kim Reynolds (R) is retiring. Rating: Lean D.
Status: upcoming. Election day is November 3, 2026.
Candidates
Polls
| Date | Pollster | Rob Sand | Zach Lahn |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 12, 2026 | YouGov | 50% | 44% |
| October 11, 2026 | Marist | 52% | 45% |
| October 6, 2026 | Emerson | 49% | 45% |
| October 5, 2026 | SSRS | 51% | 42% |
| October 4, 2026 | Suffolk | 55% | 43% |
| October 1, 2026 | NYT/Siena | 52% | 41% |
| September 28, 2026 | Fox News | 53% | 44% |
| September 20, 2026 | Marist | 56% | 41% |
| September 16, 2026 | co/efficient (R) | 46% | 42% |
| September 11, 2026 | Cygnal (R) | 48% | 44% |
| September 8, 2026 | YouGov | 51% | 41% |
| September 1, 2026 | Emerson | 49% | 46% |
Average of the undefined most recent polls: Rob Sand 50.5%, Zach Lahn 43.6%. Polls are snapshots, not predictions.
Where the candidates stand
Rob Sand (D)
- Says Iowa's six-week ban goes too far and would veto further restrictions. (2026-10) source
- Calls Iowa's voucher program an invitation to waste and wants annual audits. (2026-10) source
- Calls himself a Second Amendment supporter but opposes guns in schools. (2026-10) source
- Would legalize, regulate and tax adult-use cannabis like alcohol. (2026-10) source
- Says Iowa should raise the minimum wage. (2026-10) source
- Supports banning transgender athletes from women's sports while opposing repeal of transgender civil rights protections. (2025-06-23) source
- Questions deporting immigrants who are following the rules. (2026-10) source
- Opposes tax incentives for data centers. (2026-06-04) source
Zach Lahn (R)
- Calls himself unapologetically pro-life and supports Iowa's six-week ban. (2026-05-05) source
- Would expand Iowa's Education Savings Accounts. (2026-05-05) source
- Would remove Iowa's ban on "offensive weapons" such as machine guns. (2026-10) source
- Would ban public benefits for people here illegally and bar H-1B visa holders from state jobs. (2026-05-19) source
- Supports right-to-work laws. (2026-10) source
- Wants to eliminate the state income tax. (2026-10) source
- Would bring antitrust suits against consolidation in health care. (2026-04-02) source
- Wants data centers to pay five times the surrounding property tax rate. (2026-05-29) source
Sources
- 2026 United States gubernatorial elections (Wikipedia)
- 2026 Gubernatorial Race Overview (Brownstein, Sept. 23, 2026)
- Latest governor polls (RealClearPolling)
- 2026 election polls (Political.org)
- Cook Political Report governor ratings
- The Green Papers: 2026 candidates by state
- Amid Ad Uproar, Ohio Governor’s Race Moves From Toss Up to Lean Democrat (Cook Political Report, Oct. 23, 2026)
- Midterm Elections in Ohio, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
- Midterm Elections in Michigan, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
Ratings, candidates and polls last updated October 24, 2026. Ratings are expert forecasts, not results.