2026 Iowa gubernatorial election
The 2026 Iowa gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of the state of Iowa. Incumbent Republican Governor Kim Reynolds declined to seek a third full term in office. Primaries for this election will be held on June 2, 2026.
This is the first open seat gubernatorial election in the state since 2006; Democrats have not won a gubernatorial race in Iowa since Chet Culver in 2006.
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Eddie Andrews, state representative from the 43rd district
- Randy Feenstra, U.S. representative from
- Zach Lahn, farmer
- Brad Sherman, former state representative from the 91st district
- Adam Steen, former director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services
Declined
- Brenna Bird, Attorney General of Iowa '
- Mike Bousselot, state senator from the 21st district '
- Chris Cournoyer, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa '
- Pat Grassley, Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 57th district and grandson of U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley '
- Ashley Hinson, U.S. representative from '
- Bobby Kaufmann, state representative from the 82nd district '
- Kari Lake, senior advisor to the U.S. Agency for Global Media and nominee for governor of Arizona in 2022 and U.S. senator in 2024
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks, U.S. representative from Iowa's 1st congressional district '
- Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture '
- Zach Nunn, U.S. representative from
- Kim Reynolds, incumbent governor
- Bob Vander Plaats, CEO of The Family Leader, nominee for lieutenant governor in 2006, and candidate for governor in 2002, 2006, and 2010
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Paul Dahl, bus driver and perennial candidate
- Rob Sand, Iowa Auditor of State
- Julie Stauch, business development professional and former Iowa political director for the Pete Buttigieg 2020 presidential campaign
Independents
Declared
- Sondra Wilson, pre-law student ''''
General election
Polling
Randy Feenstra vs. Rob Sand| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Randy Feenstra | Rob Sand | Undecided |
| Z to A Research | October 9–13, 2025 | 1,351 | ± 2.7% | 43% | 45% | 12% |