Primary
Democratic Primary
Held June 2, 2026.
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rob Sand ✓ | 189,442 | 99.6% |
Republican Primary
Held June 2, 2026.
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Lahn ✓ | 80,765 | 37.7% | |
| Randy Feenstra | 79,113 | 36.9% | |
| Adam Steen | 31,087 | 14.5% | |
| Brad Sherman | 15,076 | 7.0% | |
| Eddie Andrews | 7,694 | 3.6% |
Full calendar and every race: Iowa primary guide
Race Overview
General Election Polling Trend
PollingSource average — trailing average of all polls from the last 30 days.
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General Election Polling Average
Average reflects all polls from the last 30 days; table shows the most recent 30 days or the newest 3 polls, whichever is more — subscribe for the full history. How accurate is each pollster? →
| Pollster | Date | Sample | MoE | Dem | Rep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouGov | 2026-09-08 | 2169 RV | ±3.50 | Rob Sand 50.00% | Zach Lahn 39.00% |
| Emerson ±2.7 | 2026-09-01 | 750 LV | ±3.60 | Rob Sand 49.00% | Zach Lahn 46.00% |
| Wedgewood Polls | 2026-08-29 | 600 LV | ±4.60 | Rob Sand 51.00% | Zach Lahn 46.00% |
| Suffolk University | 2026-08-23 | 500 LV | ±4.40 | Rob Sand 48.00% | Zach Lahn 44.00% |
Questions About This Race
Who is winning the 2026 Iowa governor's race?
Rob Sand leads Zach Lahn 49.5% to 43.8% in the PollingSource polling average — a D+5.7 margin based on 4 polls from the last 30 days.
Is the 2026 Iowa governor's race competitive?
Yes — the PollingSource polling average rates it Lean D: Democrats are favored, but the race is competitive. Note: our polling average (Lean D) diverges from the expert consensus (Safe R) — that gap makes this a race to watch.
What does the latest poll of the 2026 Iowa governor's race say?
The most recent public poll, from YouGov (completed September 8, 2026), found Rob Sand (D) at 50% and Zach Lahn (R) at 39%.
When is the 2026 Iowa governor's race decided?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
How is the PollingSource average calculated?
The PollingSource average is the unweighted mean of every scientific public poll of the race from the last 30 days — we do not exclude pollsters. Each race page lists the individual polls behind the average with pollster, field dates, sample size, and margin of error. Full details: pollingsource.com/methodology.
Race Notes
Term-limited, open seat