Democratic · Iowa
Rob Sand
Governor-elect of Iowa; Iowa State Auditor
State Auditor Rob Sand was elected governor of Iowa on Nov. 3, 2026, defeating Republican Zach Lahn 55.5% to 44.5% (AP data via NBC News). He is the first Democrat elected governor of Iowa in two decades.
- 2026 race
- Governor of Iowa
- Result
- Won (flip): Sand 55.5%, Lahn 44.5% [Source]
Biography
Sand, a former assistant Iowa attorney general who prosecuted the state's largest lottery fraud case, has been Iowa's state auditor since 2019. The seat was open after Gov. Kim Reynolds did not seek reelection.
Record
- Iowa State Auditor since 2019
- Former assistant Iowa attorney general
Life & background
- As an assistant attorney general he prosecuted the $25 million Hot Lotto fraud, described as the largest lottery-rigging scheme in U.S. history. [Source]
Coverage
Races · News
Five governorships flipped, zero lost: Democrats redraw the state mapTexas, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa and Nevada went blue, and Democrats picked up full control of five state governments.
People · Explainer
A pediatrician, a public-health doctor, an auditor and an Ojibwe organizer: meet the Democrats' breakout classAnnie Andrews, Amy Acton, Rob Sand and Peggy Flanagan won in very different places. Here's who they are.
Sources
- U.S. Governor Midterm Elections 2026 Live Results — NBC News (AP data)
- Democrats clinch a majority of governorships for first time in 16 years — NBC News
- Rob Sand – Wikipedia — Wikipedia