Democrat Rob Sand has defeated Republican businessman Zach Lahn to win Iowa’s 2026 gubernatorial election, flipping the governor’s office from Republican to Democratic control. Sand’s victory ends a decade of Republican leadership under Gov. Kim Reynolds, who chose not to seek another term, and marks a major change in the state’s political leadership.

Sand, 44, served as Iowa’s state auditor beginning in 2019 and was the only Democrat holding statewide elected office in Iowa. He built his campaign around government accountability, fighting corruption and addressing concerns about the state’s finances. His background as a prosecutor and auditor became central to his effort to appeal to voters beyond the Democratic Party’s traditional base.

Before becoming state auditor, Sand worked as a prosecutor in the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, handling public corruption cases. He gained statewide attention for his work investigating the Iowa film tax credit scandal, which involved millions of dollars in improperly obtained tax credits. He also prosecuted cases connected to the Hot Lotto fraud scandal.

Sand campaigned on concerns about Iowa’s growing budget deficit, the rising cost of living, access to healthcare and environmental issues, including water quality. He presented himself as a moderate Democrat who could work with Republicans in the state legislature, which remains under Republican control. His campaign also emphasized his willingness to challenge members of his own party and distance himself from national Democratic politics.

Lahn, a businessman and political newcomer, won the Republican gubernatorial nomination after narrowly defeating U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra in the June primary. Feenstra had received President Donald Trump’s endorsement, making Lahn’s primary victory an unexpected result in the Republican contest.

Lahn campaigned on an Iowa-focused conservative platform that included challenging powerful agricultural interests, scrutinizing agricultural products and restricting purchases of farmland by out-of-state interests. He also aligned himself with the Make America Healthy Again movement associated with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. During the general election campaign, Lahn warned that Sand’s policies would lead to higher taxes and expanded government regulation.

President Trump publicly backed Lahn during the campaign and held a rally in Sioux City in October to support the Republican nominee. Despite that support, Sand ultimately prevailed in a state Trump carried by approximately 13 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.

The governor’s race attracted national attention because Iowa had become increasingly Republican in recent election cycles. The last Democrat elected governor was Chet Culver in 2006, while Reynolds won reelection in 2022 by a substantial margin. Sand’s victory therefore represents a significant change in the state’s political direction.

Sand will succeed Reynolds when the new administration takes office in January 2027. However, Republicans will retain control of the Iowa legislature, setting up a divided state government in which the new governor will need to bridge the gap with Republican lawmakers to advance his agenda.