Iowa Voter Guide 2026

Rob Sand is Iowa's Democratic nominee for governor and the state auditor. He has built a statewide profile around anti-corruption work, fiscal oversight, government accountability, rural outreach, and a more independent style of Democratic politics.

Priorities: Strengthen government accountability and anti-corruption oversight · Lower costs and protect public services · Compete for rural and independent voters

Zach Lahn is Iowa's Republican nominee for governor, a businessman and farmer who won the Republican primary as an outsider candidate. His campaign emphasizes an Iowa-first economic message, agriculture, water quality, health concerns, and a challenge to large agribusiness power.

Priorities: Support family farms and Iowa-first economic policy · Improve water quality and public health safeguards · Challenge entrenched political and agribusiness interests

Josh Turek is Iowa's Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2026, a state representative from Council Bluffs and a Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball. His campaign emphasizes health care, disability rights, public education, reproductive rights, rural hospitals, and a moderate, prairie-populist message in the open-seat race.

Priorities: Lower health-care costs and protect rural hospitals · Support disability rights, veterans, and working families · Protect public education and reproductive rights

Ashley Hinson is Iowa's Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2026 and the current U.S. representative for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District. A former television journalist and Iowa state legislator, she is running to succeed retiring Senator Joni Ernst with a message focused on taxes, agriculture, border security, federal spending, and Trump-aligned Republican priorities.

Priorities: Cut taxes and restrain federal spending · Support Iowa agriculture and rural communities · Strengthen border security and public safety

Brenna Bird is Iowa's incumbent attorney general and a Republican candidate for re-election. Her office has emphasized criminal prosecution, litigation against federal policy, consumer protection, victim services, and conservative legal priorities.

Priorities: Use the attorney general's office for public safety and prosecutions · Challenge federal policy through state litigation · Protect consumers and crime victims

Nate Willems is a Democratic candidate for Iowa attorney general, an attorney, and a former Iowa House member. His campaign emphasizes restoring independence to the office, protecting consumers, defending rights, and using legal experience for accountable public service.

Priorities: Restore independence and professionalism to the attorney general's office · Protect consumers and civil rights · Use legal and legislative experience for accountable enforcement

Paul Pate is Iowa's incumbent secretary of state and a Republican candidate for another term. His office oversees elections, business filings, notary services, land-records coordination, and voter information across Iowa.

Priorities: Administer elections and voter information · Maintain business and public-record services · Promote election security and confidence

Ryan Peterman is a Democratic candidate for Iowa secretary of state, a Navy veteran, and a former legislative aide. His campaign emphasizes voting access, election administration, service experience, and rebuilding trust in the office that runs Iowa's elections and business filings.

Priorities: Protect voting access and election administration · Improve public trust in elections · Bring military and legislative-service experience to the office

Roby Smith is Iowa's incumbent state treasurer and a Republican candidate for re-election. His office manages state cash, investments, college savings programs, unclaimed property, and public-finance services.

Priorities: Safeguard state cash and investments · Manage college savings and public-finance programs · Return unclaimed property and improve treasury services

John Norwood is a Democratic candidate for Iowa state treasurer and a longtime soil and water conservation leader. His campaign emphasizes responsible stewardship of public funds, transparency, local-government experience, and connecting fiscal decisions to Iowa communities.

Priorities: Strengthen transparency in state finance · Bring conservation and local-government experience to treasury work · Protect public funds and improve service to Iowans

Taylor Wettach is a Democratic candidate for Iowa state auditor and an attorney. After Rob Sand chose to run for governor, Wettach entered the auditor race with a message focused on independent oversight, transparency, taxpayer accountability, and protecting the auditor's watchdog role.

Priorities: Protect independent oversight of state government · Strengthen transparency and taxpayer accountability · Use legal experience to review public spending

Chris Cournoyer is Iowa's lieutenant governor and a Republican candidate for state auditor. A former state senator with technology and education experience, she has emphasized government efficiency, financial oversight, public accountability, and using management experience in the auditor's office.

Priorities: Improve financial oversight and accountability · Use technology and management experience in audits · Promote efficient state government

Mike Naig is Iowa's incumbent secretary of agriculture and a Republican candidate for re-election. His office focuses on agriculture markets, conservation, livestock and crop issues, renewable fuels, water quality, and support for Iowa farmers.

Priorities: Support Iowa farmers and agricultural markets · Promote conservation and water-quality programs · Advance renewable fuels and rural economic development

Chris Jones is a Democratic candidate for Iowa secretary of agriculture, an author, and a water-quality advocate. His campaign emphasizes nitrate pollution, rural health, accountability in agricultural policy, family farms, and a more independent approach to Iowa's agriculture department.

Priorities: Address water quality and nitrate pollution · Support family farms and rural communities · Increase accountability in agriculture policy