2026 Iowa gubernatorial election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 Iowa gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Iowa. Incumbent Republican governor Kim Reynolds declined to seek re-election to a third term.[1] Primary elections will be held on June 2, 2026.[2]
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November 3, 2026
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This is the first open seat gubernatorial election in the state since 2006, which was the last gubernatorial election in Iowa won by a Democrat.
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Eddie Andrews, state representative from the 43rd district (2021–present)[3]
- Randy Feenstra, U.S. representative from Iowa's 4th congressional district (2021–present)[4]
- Zach Lahn, farmer[5][6]
- Brad Sherman, former state representative from the 91st district (2023–2025)[7]
- Adam Steen, former director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services (2021–2025)[8]
Declined
- Brenna Bird, attorney general of Iowa (2023–present) (running for re-election)[9]
- Mike Bousselot, state senator from the 21st district (2023–present) (running for re-election)[10]
- Chris Cournoyer, lieutenant governor of Iowa (2024–present) (running for state auditor; endorsed Feenstra)[11][12]
- Pat Grassley, speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives (2020–present) from the 57th district (2007–present) and grandson of U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (running for re-election)[13]
- Ashley Hinson, U.S. representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district (2021–present)[14] (running for U.S. Senate)[15]
- Bobby Kaufmann, state representative from the 82nd district (2013–present) (running for re-election)[16]
- Kari Lake, senior advisor to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (2025–present) and nominee for governor of Arizona in 2022 and U.S. senator in 2024[17]
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks, U.S. representative from Iowa's 1st congressional district (2021–present)[18] (running for re-election; endorsed Feenstra)[19][12]
- Mike Naig, Iowa secretary of agriculture (2018–present) (running for re-election; endorsed Feenstra)[20]
- Zach Nunn, U.S. representative from Iowa's 3rd congressional district (2023–present) (running for re-election)[21]
- Kim Reynolds, incumbent governor (2017–present)[1]
- Bob Vander Plaats, CEO of The Family Leader, nominee for lieutenant governor in 2006, and candidate for governor in 2002, 2006, and 2010[22] (endorsed Steen)[23]
Endorsements
Randy Feenstra
- Executive branch officials
- Terry Branstad, former ambassador to China (2017–2020) and former governor of Iowa (1983–1999, 2011–2017)[24] (previously endorsed Bousselot)[25]
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[26]
- U.S. senators
- Joni Ernst, Iowa (2015–present)[12]
- U.S. representatives
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks, IA-01 (2021–present)[12]
- Statewide officials
- Chris Cournoyer, lieutenant governor of Iowa (2024–present)[12]
- Mike Naig, secretary of agriculture (2018–present)[27]
- Matt Schultz, former secretary of state of Iowa (2011–2015)[28]
- Roby Smith, state treasurer of Iowa (2023–present)[29]
- State legislators
- Craig Johnson, HD-67 (2023–present)[30]
- Carrie Koelker, SD-33 (2019–present)[31]
- Ken Rozenboom, president pro tempore of the Iowa Senate (2025–present) from SD-19 (2013–present)[31]
- Brent Siegrist, HD-19 (2021–present), HD-84 (1985–2003)[31]
- John Wills, speaker pro tempore of the Iowa House of Representatives (2020–present) from HD-10 (2015–present)[31]
- 18 other state legislators[31]
Zach Lahn
- U.S. representatives
- Steve King, former IA-04 (2003–2021)[32]
- Individuals
- Rob Schneider, actor and comedian (Independent)[33]
- Organizations
Brad Sherman
- Executive branch officials
- Sam Clovis, former senior White House advisor to the Department of Agriculture (2017–2018)[36]
- State legislators
- Kevin Alons, SD-07 (2023–present)[36]
- Doug Campbell, SD-30 (2025–present)[36]
- Jim Carlin, former SD-03 (2017–2023) and 2026 candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa[36]
- Mark Cisneros, HD-96 (2021–present)[36]
- Dennis Guth, SD-28 (2013–present)[36]
- Judd Lawler, HD-91 (2025–present)[36]
- Anne Osmundson, former HD-64 (2019–2025)[36]
- Sandy Salmon, SD-29 (2023–present)[36]
- Luana Stoltenberg, former HD-81 (2023–2025)[36]
Adam Steen
- State legislators
- Dean Fisher, HD-53 (2013–present)[37]
- Charlie McClintock, SD-42 (2023–present)[38]
- Mike Pike, SD-20 (2025–present)[39]
- Henry Stone, HD-09 (2023–present)[40]
- Individuals
- Steve Deace, conservative talk show host[23]
- Dan Gable, former freestyle wrestler[41]
- Bob Vander Plaats, president of The Family Leader[23]
- Organizations
Mike Bousselot (declined)
- Executive branch officials
Terry Branstad, former ambassador to China (2017–2020) and former governor of Iowa (1983–1999, 2011–2017)[25] (later endorsed Feenstra)[24]
Declined to endorse
- Statewide officials
- Kim Reynolds, governor of Iowa (2017–present)[43]
Debates
| 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[44] | May 19, 2026 | KCCI | Amanda Rooker Dave Price |
KCCI | A | P | P | P | P |
Polling
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rob Sand, Iowa auditor of state (2019–present)[47]
Disqualified
- Julie Stauch, business development professional and former Iowa political director for the Pete Buttigieg 2020 presidential campaign[48]
Did not file
- Paul Dahl, bus driver and perennial candidate[49]
Endorsements
Rob Sand
- Statewide officials
- Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky (2019-present)[50]
- Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota (2019–present)[51]
- Labor unions
- AFSCME Council 61[52]
- Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO[53]
- Iowa State Education Association, NEA[54]
- LIUNA 177[55]
- SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa[56]
- United Auto Workers[57]
- Organizations
Independents
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[61] | Tossup | April 9, 2026 |
| Inside Elections[62] | Lean R | March 26, 2026 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[63] | Lean R | March 19, 2026 |
| Race to the WH[64] | Tilt D (flip) | April 13, 2026 |
Polling
Randy Feenstra vs. Rob Sand
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Randy Feenstra (R) |
Rob Sand (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echelon Insights[65] | April 3–9, 2026 | 377 (LV) | ± 6.6% | 39% | 51% | 10% |
| GBAO (D)[66][B] | March 10–16, 2026 | 1,200 (LV) | ± 2.8% | 42% | 50% | 8% |
| Z to A Research (D)[67][68] | October 9–13, 2025 | 1,351 (LV) | ± 2.7% | 43% | 45% | 12% |
See also
Notes
- Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
Partisan and media clients
- Poll sponsored by Feenstra's campaign
- Poll sponsored by Josh Turek's campaign, who is a Democratic candidate in the Iowa U.S. Senate election