Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ announcement that she will not seek another term in office creates an open seat for the 2026 election. It’s been nearly two decades since Iowa had a gubernatorial election without an incumbent. Here’s who is — and isn’t — running for the office.
Iowa Democrats celebrated Catelin Drey’s victory, saying the Tuesday results — alongside results from other special elections this year — mark a turning point for the state party following several election cycles of overwhelming GOP victories.
Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann kicked off a party fundraiser Friday by stressing to the crowd that Rob Sand, the Iowa State Auditor and only statewide elected Democrat, is “running away from his left-wing views” as he runs for governor in the 2026 election, which is more than 15 months away.
Rob Sand, the state auditor who announced this week he would make a bid for Iowa governor in 2026, stopped in Davenport to rally supporters Wednesday.
Iowa 4th District U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, a three-term Republican from Hull, Iowa, filed paperwork Monday to run for governor. He is the second Republican to file paperwork to seek the office.
Reynolds, 65, has been governor since 2017, when Gov. Terry Branstad stepped down after being named U.S. ambassador to China by President Donald Trump.
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The district, previously represented by Democrat Sami Scheetz, covers much of southeast Cedar Rapids.
During a news conference Tuesday, Reynolds told reporters to ‘stay tuned’ in response to a question about whether she’ll seek re-election.
House advances proposal that would expand ban to all grades
Jeff Kaufmann has been Iowa Republicans’ state party leader since 2015. In that decade, Iowa Republicans have gone from sharing control of state and federal government in Iowa with Democrats to near unfettered control and historic majorities.
U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and a former state senator joined President Donald Trump's lawsuit against pollster Ann Selzer, the Des Moines Register and the newspaper's parent company, Gannett.
Democrats Tuesday flipped seat in the Iowa Senate in a special election held to replace Republican Sen. Chris Cournoyer, who was named as Iowa's lieutenant governor, but Democrats still will be far outnumbered in the chamber.
Having suffered even more losses in yet another election cycle begs the question: Where do Iowa Democrats go from here?
Democrat Christina Bohannan said she will ask for a recount in the tight race in Southeastern Iowa's 1st Congressional District against Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
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