Rob Sand Elected Iowa Governor, Defeating Zach Lahn

Democrat Rob Sand was elected governor of Iowa on November 3, defeating Republican Zach Lahn and ending Republicans’ hold on the governor’s office. The Associated Press called the race at 10:12 p.m. Election-night projections also showed Sand ahead, but Iowa’s official certified results had not yet been issued in the reports describing the outcome. Sand, Iowa’s state auditor, will become the first Democrat elected governor of the state since 2006. He will succeed Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is leaving office after nearly a decade. The governor’s race was open after Reynolds decided not to seek another term. Decision Desk HQ projected Sand the winner. One election-night update put him ahead 58% to 42%, with 45% of precincts reporting; a later update cited an approximately 23-point lead with 26% of votes reported. Those snapshots reflect different stages of the count, not final vote shares. The Iowa Secretary of State’s office is responsible for publishing official returns and certified results. Sand’s victory puts a Democrat in the governor’s office while Republicans are expected to retain majorities in the state legislature. During the campaign, Sand said he would work...