Democrat Rob Sand wins Iowa governor's race, ending GOP hold
The gist
Democrat Rob Sand was projected the winner of Iowa's governor race over Republican Zach Lahn.
He becomes Iowa's first Democratic governor since 2006, flipping a Trump-carried seat.
How it unfolded
- Apr 2025Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she would not seek reelection, opening Iowa's governor's seat.
- May 2025Rob Sand launched his campaign for governor.
- May 2026Zach Lahn defeated President Trump's pick, Rep. Randy Feenstra, in the GOP gubernatorial primary by 1,700 votes.