Sand, auditor for state with strong Trump support, defeats Maha-backed Republican Zach Lahn as Democrats win big

US midterms 2026 live – latest updates

Track live results from all 50 states

Democrat Rob Sand has been elected governor of Iowa , the Associated Press projects, a milestone as his party seeks to rebuild its political standing in the midwestern state.

Sand , the state auditor who is the sole Democrat holding statewide office in Iowa, triumphed over Republican Zach Lahn, a political newcomer backed by Robert F Kennedy Jr’s “Make America healthy again” movement.