DES MOINES — Democrat Rob Sand, Iowa's state auditor, defeated Republican businessman Zach Lahn in Tuesday's election for governor, according to KCRG and a CBS News projection^1,2. NPR also reported the result³.

The contest was for an open seat after Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds declined to seek another term^1,2. CBS News said the last Democrat elected Iowa governor was in 2006; KCRG said Sand would be the first Democrat elected to the office in 20 years^1,2.

KCRG said Sand secured more than 55 percent of the vote against Lahn and that the results were preliminary pending a state canvass¹.

Sand, 44, a Decorah native, has been auditor since 2019 and was the only Democrat holding statewide office after 2022^1,2. KCRG said he previously prosecuted Iowa film tax-credit and lottery-rigging cases as an assistant attorney general¹.

CBS News said Sand campaigned as a problem-solver who criticized the two-party system and favored nonpartisan primaries, while Lahn tried to portray him as too liberal for a state President Donald Trump carried by more than 13 points in 2024².

Lahn, 40, an entrepreneur who co-founded a private school in Wichita, Kansas, upset U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra in the Republican primary despite Feenstra having a late Trump endorsement^1,2. CBS News said Lahn won that primary by about 1,700 votes with support from MAHA Action and Turning Point Action².

Trump later campaigned for Lahn, as did Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CBS News reported².

CBS News said Sand hit Republican stewardship on tariffs, energy prices and Iowa ties to deaths in the Iran war, and that Sand entered the race with about $8 million already raised and later outraised Lahn². CBS also said Sand criticized Lahn for voting in Kansas as recently as 2022².

KCRG said Reynolds, in a statement Wednesday morning, said she is committed to a strong transition¹. Official certified totals were not in the accounts reviewed.