04.11.2026 07:40
In the U.S. midterm elections, Democratic candidate Rob Sand achieved a historic success in the Republican-strong state of Iowa after 20 years. Defeating Republican Zach Lahn, whom Trump endorsed, Sand became the first Democrat elected governor since 2006. The result in a state Trump won by more than 13 points in the 2024 elections was a major surprise for Republicans.
Another significant win was added to the Democratic Party's gains in the US midterm elections held on November 3. In Iowa, where Republicans had established political dominance in recent years, Democratic candidate Rob Sand won the governor's race, ending a period of about 20 years. According to CBS News' projection, Sand defeated his Republican rival Zach Lahn and was elected the state's new governor.
A FIRST IN 20 YEARS
No Democratic candidate had won the governor's election in Iowa since 2006. As Republicans' weight in the state had gradually increased in recent years, Donald Trump had also won Iowa by more than 13 points in the 2024 presidential election.
Before the election, all of Iowa's members in the US House of Representatives were Republicans. Democratic Rob Sand was the only Democratic official in the state who had been elected statewide.
With CBS News' projection that Sand won the governor's race, this signaled a significant political change in a state where Democrats had not achieved success for a long time.
HE WON BY CRITICIZING THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM
Although 44-year-old Rob Sand was the Democratic Party's candidate, he sharply criticized the US two-party political system during his election campaign.
Advocating the implementation of nonpartisan primaries, Sand highlighted messages in his campaign about producing common solutions rather than political polarization and bringing together voters with different views.
This approach was said to be effective in winning the support of independent voters, whose numbers are gradually increasing in Iowa.
Sand had previously been elected Iowa state auditor in 2018, and in 2022 he was re-elected to the same office, becoming the only Democratic politician to win a statewide election.
HE HAD DEFEATED TRUMP'S ENDORSED CANDIDATE IN THE PRIMARY
Republican candidate Zach Lahn entered the governor's race with an unusual political background. Lahn, 40, who works in farming and business, had defeated his Donald Trump-endorsed rival in the Republican Party primary held in May.
In his primary campaign, Lahn argued that the political establishment was against him and used the words "The whole system was set up against me."
The Republican candidate received support from Turning Point Action, the political advocacy arm of the Turning Point movement founded by conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who died before the primary, and from the MAHA Action group formed by allies of US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Lahn became his party's candidate in the governor's race by winning the Republican Party primary by only 1,700 votes.
TRUMP, VANCE AND HEGSETH GAVE SUPPORT
Although Donald Trump supported Lahn's rival in the Republican primary, he stood behind Lahn in the general election campaign.
In addition to Trump, US Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also took part in campaign work for the Republican candidate.
In particular, Defense Secretary Hegseth's involvement in a state governor's election campaign was considered an unusual development in US politics.
However, despite support from senior figures in the Republican Party, Lahn lost the election to his Democratic rival Rob Sand.
THE IRAN WAR AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS LEFT THEIR MARK ON THE ELECTION
Economic problems and the war the US is having with Iran were also among the important debate topics in the election race in Iowa. In the state, the effects of tariffs, rising oil and natural gas prices, and the economic consequences of the war came to the forefront in voters' agenda.
The fact that three of the 18 American soldiers who died in clashes with Iran were connected to Iowa also increased the war's impact in the state.
While Democratic candidate Rob Sand sharply criticized the Republican administration over these issues, Zach Lahn tried to distance himself from the current Republican administration in the state.
REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR DID NOT RUN AGAIN
Republican Kim Reynolds, who had served as governor of Iowa for two terms, announced in April 2025 that she would not run again.
After this decision, Rob Sand announced his candidacy in May 2025 and began the election race with about $8 million in campaign resources.
Sand, who entered the Democratic Party primaries unopposed, visited different parts of the state and met with voters throughout the election campaign. As part of extensive field work carried out over a year, he also organized a 100-stop campaign tour.
Throughout his campaign, Sand also criticized his Republican rival Zach Lahn for having voted in the state of Kansas until 2022.
THE BALANCE SHIFTED IN THE STATE TRUMP WON BY 13 POINTS
Iowa had stood out in recent years as one of the states where the Republican Party was strong. Donald Trump's winning the state by more than 13 points in the 2024 presidential election had demonstrated the Republicans' political dominance in the region.
However, Democratic candidate Rob Sand's winning the governorship in the 2026 midterm elections showed that this picture could change.
The Associated Press also announced that Sand defeated Republican Zach Lahn and was elected governor of Iowa.