2026 Iowa elections

Incumbent Republican governor Kim Reynolds has declined to run for re-election and seek a third term, which the Iowa state constitution would allow her to do if she had wanted.^[2] Reynolds won in 2022 with 58.04% of the vote. Due to the governorship being open, this race has received a fair bit of attention.

The lone Democrat currently holding office in Iowa. State auditor Rob Sand, has entered the Democratic Primary. Rob Sand is the clear favorite for the Democratic nomination and is popular within the state.^[3] On the Republican side, U.S. Representative from Iowa's 4th Congressional district Randy Feenstra is the most prominent candidate running for his parties nomination,^[4] but he faces two prominent candidates in Brad Sherman and Eddie Andrews (former and current state Representatives, respectively).

In Iowa, nominees for Lieutenant Governor are chosen at party conventions. They then run on a ticket with the gubernatorial nominee. The eventual nominees will have to pick who they would want to run on the ticket with them.^[5]

Incumbent Republican Brenna Bird won in 2022, after defeating then-incumbent Democratic attorney general Tom Miller, who had served in the position off-and-on since 1979 and was running for his 11th term.^[6] Bird defeated Miller with 50.8% in 2022.

Bird is running for re-election in 2026 and only has one Democratic challenger in former Iowa house representative Nathan Willems.^[7][8]

Incumbent Republican secretary of state Paul Pate has announced his intention to run for a 5th term in 2026.^[9] He won in 2022 with 60.0% of the vote. He has one Democratic challenger in former Navy veteran Ryan Peterman.^[10]

Incumbent Republican state treasurer, Roby Smith, won in 2022 after defeating longtime Democratic incumbent Michael Fitzgerald, who had served in the position consecutively since 1983.^[11] and was running for his eleventh term in office. Smith defeated Fitzgerald with 51.3% of the vote.

In December 2025, Smith declared his intent to run for re-election to a second term.^[12] John Norwood is running as a Democrat.

Incumbent Democratic state auditor, Rob Sand, was the sole Democrat to win statewide in 2022, defeating state representative Todd Halbur. Sand won in 2022 with 50.09% of the vote.

Sand is not running for a third term, but running for governor instead. No Democrats have declared their candidacy for this race, but incumbent Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer is running in the Republican primary.^[13]

Incumbent Republican Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, won in 2022 with 61.1% of the vote, being the best performing Republican nominee that year.^[14]

Naig is running for re-election and currently has no Democrat challengers.^[15]

Incumbent Republican senator Joni Ernst has declined to run for re-election for a third term.^[16]

Ernst won in 2020 by 6 points in what was widely considered to be a toss-up race, with 50.88% of the vote.^[17]

This race has been getting heavy media attention after Ernst made a comment when addressing a constituents concerns about Medicaid, stating "We are all going to die", and making a sarcastic apology for the comment at a cemetery.^[18] This comment spearheaded the race into the spotlight, with 4 prominent Democratic candidates entering the race, including state Sen. Zach Wahls, state Rep. Josh Turek, and Nathan Sage.^[19]

Shortly after Ernst's announcement not to seek re-election, U.S. House Rep. Ashely Hinson of Iowa's 2nd Congressional district announced her intention to run, instantly becoming the frontrunner for the nomination and earning Donald Trump's endorsement.^[20]

This race is widely expected to be competitive and Democrats are targeting it as one of the 4 seats they need to regain their majority in the Senate.^[21]

All of Iowa's four seats in the United States House of Representatives are up for election in 2026. Two of the seats are extremely competitive, Iowa's 1st and 3rd Congressional districts.^[22] Iowa's 2nd Congressional district, represented by the aforementioned Hinson, is also slightly competitive, and could be competitive in 2026 due to Hinson's retirement.^[23]

Republicans have a supermajority in the state house, and a majority in the state senate. All 100 of the state house seats are up for election in 2026, while 25 (half) of the state senate seats are. Democrats might be able to gain seats if Iowa swings to the left in the midterms, like it has before.