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The Wire
Ilhan Omar says agents took 17 items in raid, and threats will force her to move Vance defends Ramaswamy ad using Amy Acton's estranged mother in Ohio race Democrats sue Trump and DOJ over pressure on state election officials before midterms On tape: Asked if hundreds of FBI agents in Georgia produced a single indictment, Kash Patel says: "Not if it was sealed." On tape: Schiff asks Kash Patel point blank: were Trump-case agents purged from the FBI? Trump's women's health order creates an NIH division but sets no dollar amount Medicaid cuts dominate Senate debates as Republicans defend their 2025 law Trump rallies for Darline Graham as South Carolina Senate race tightens On tape: Talarico says Ken Paxton will show up anywhere but a Texas debate stage On tape: Jack Smith: Trump suggested a witness, General Mark Milley, should be put to death Ilhan Omar says agents took 17 items in raid, and threats will force her to move Vance defends Ramaswamy ad using Amy Acton's estranged mother in Ohio race Democrats sue Trump and DOJ over pressure on state election officials before midterms On tape: Asked if hundreds of FBI agents in Georgia produced a single indictment, Kash Patel says: "Not if it was sealed." On tape: Schiff asks Kash Patel point blank: were Trump-case agents purged from the FBI? Trump's women's health order creates an NIH division but sets no dollar amount Medicaid cuts dominate Senate debates as Republicans defend their 2025 law Trump rallies for Darline Graham as South Carolina Senate race tightens On tape: Talarico says Ken Paxton will show up anywhere but a Texas debate stage On tape: Jack Smith: Trump suggested a witness, General Mark Milley, should be put to death
Rob Sand Governor — Iowa Lean D First run
IAnominee

Governor — Iowa · First run

Rob Sand

Iowa's state auditor and a former prosecutor, Sand was the only Democrat to win statewide office in Iowa in 2022. He faces businessman Zach Lahn, who upset Trump-endorsed Rep. Randy Feenstra in the June 2 GOP primary, in an open-seat race Cook rates a toss-up.

On the ballot against Zach Lahn (R)

Why it matters: Iowa's governor's seat is open and now held by Republicans, and Cook rates it Lean Democrat, so Democrats could flip it.

Give to Rob directly Volunteer Campaign site Your voting plan

Direct gifts go 100% to the campaign through its own official page. We never see or handle them.

The race at a glance

Race ratingLean DCook Political Report, Oct 13 source
Polling average (6 polls) Sand 50.2% 44.3% Lahn 6% undecided or other Sand +5.9▼ 2.3 this week Jun 26Oct 20Most recent poll from each pollster, Oct 8 to Oct 20. Checked 30 min ago. Every poll
Money raised Sand$9,400,000 Lahn$6,400,000 Raised figures cover May 27 - July 14 only (rounded: 'nearly $9.4 million' and 'about $6.4 million'); cash on hand 'nearly $18 million' vs. about $1 million for Lahn. $18,000,000 cash on hand. source

Every poll in this race

PollsterDateSampleSandLahnMargin
National Public AffairsOct 20678 LV50%45%D +5
co/efficientOct 19863 LV49%45%D +4
Marist PollOct 151,100 LV52%45%D +7
YouGovOct 142,244 LV50%44%D +6
Emerson CollegeOct 9650 LV · Margin of error ±3.8%49%45%D +4
CNN / SSRSOct 8801 LV51%42%D +9
Suffolk UniversityOct 7500 LV55%43%D +12
Siena CollegeOct 4606 LV · Margin of error ±4.6%52%41%D +11
Fox NewsOct 11,008 LV · Margin of error ±3%53%44%D +9
Marist PollSep 221,050 RV · Margin of error ±4.4%54%42%D +12
CygnalSep 15500 LV · Margin of error ±4.4%48%44%D +4
YouGovSep 112,169 RV · Margin of error ±3.5%50%39%D +11

LV = likely voters, RV = registered voters. Polls listed by 270toWin, which lists 18 polls in this race; the newest 12 are shown. Each pollster name links to its own release.

Rob's TV ads

Campaign adGovernor, IA

Rob Sand

“Sand Family Tradition”

Sand +5.9▼ 2.3 this weekFrom the campaign's own channel · 8.7K views

Campaign adGovernor, IA

Rob Sand

“Lead”

Sand +5.9▼ 2.3 this weekFrom the campaign's own channel · 3.4K views

Posted by the campaign on YouTube. Plays from YouTube when you press play.

In Rob's own words

This is not about why you’re in Kansas. This is about the fact that you’re not in Iowa.
Rob Sand, To Zach Lahn at the first governor's debate, hosted by KWQC in Davenport, Oct 6 source

Where Rob stands

Medicaid
Reverse Iowa's privatized Medicaid by executive order, citing illegal denials of care found by his auditor's office. source
Education
Fund universal all-day pre-K and bring more oversight to the state's private school voucher program. source
Government waste
Restore the state auditor's power to track misspent tax dollars, which lawmakers cut back. source
Rural jobs
Let state employees who can work remotely live anywhere in Iowa to help small towns, as he did in the auditor's office. source
Election reform
Supports an open primary for all voters, with the top four advancing to a general election decided by approval voting. source

The record

  • Iowa state auditor since 2019
  • Iowa assistant attorney general (prosecutor), 2010–2017
  • Only Democrat elected to statewide office in Iowa in 2022
ConfidentialThe GOP File

The file on Zach Lahn

  • According to the Kansas Secretary of State, Zach Lahn voted in Kansas in the 2018 and 2020 general elections and the August 2022 primary; he says he moved to Iowa full-time in 2023. source
  • Lahn's largest donor this cycle is the Republican Governors Association, which has given $15.5 million, according to a campaign finance filing. source
  • Lahn's campaign reported a $2.5 million outstanding loan in its July 2026 filing. source

Endorsed by

Iowa State Education Association (ISEA)More than 100 registered Iowa Republicans ('Rob-Publicans')

On tape

Bernie Sanders: Elon Musk's money is coming into Maine against Troy JacksonOct 21Bernie Sanders: Trump's Iran war has killed 19 U.S. service members, and voting Republican keeps it going.Oct 20

Rob Sand. Photo: Rob Sand for Governor, CC0

Profile sources: 1, 2, 3

Race data checked Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Quotes on this page were matched word for word against their sources.