(NIT photo)
DES MOINES — Iowa voters delivered a major political reversal in the November 3, 2026, election, electing Democrat Rob Sand governor, sending Democrat Josh Turek to the U.S. Senate and choosing Democrats in three of Iowa’s four congressional districts. The shift reached North Iowa, where Democrat Jacob Welper defeated Republican incumbent Christian Hermanson for Iowa House District 59, although Republicans retained control of the state Legislature and won several other contests.
The statewide victories marked a striking change in a state that has favored Republican candidates in recent elections. Democrats gained important offices in Des Moines and the entire Congress in Washington, but the results also revealed substantial continuing Republican strength, particularly in the Iowa House and Senate and parts of rural Iowa.
Rob Sand defeats Zach Lahn for governor
Sand, Iowa’s Democratic state auditor, defeated Republican Zach Lahn with approximately 55.5% of the vote to Lahn’s 44.5%, according to unofficial returns. He becomes Iowa’s first Democratic governor-elect since Chet Culver won in 2006 and will succeed Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who did not seek another term.
Reynolds issued a statement Wednesday saying she had called Sand to congratulate him and promised to help his administration prepare for office. “Now that the election is over, it’s time to work together so Iowa remains the best state in the nation to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come,” she said. “My team and I will do our part to ensure the incoming administration is ready for their first day in office. Iowans deserve nothing less.”
Josh Turek defeats Ashley Hinson in U.S. Senate race
Democratic state lawmaker Josh Turek defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson in the race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. Turek received about 50.5% of the vote, Hinson 46.4%, and Libertarian Thomas Laehn 3.1%, according to unofficial results. His victory gives Iowa its first Democratic U.S. senator elected since Tom Harkin’s 2008 reelection.
Hinson’s unsuccessful Senate bid also created the open congressional race in Iowa’s 2nd District, home to much of North Iowa. Democrat Lindsay James defeated Republican Joe Mitchell and will represent the district in Washington. Unofficial totals showed James with about 49.5% of the vote and Mitchell with 45.6%, while two other candidates collected the balance.
Three congressional seats turn Democratic, one stays Republican
Democrat Christina Bohannan defeated Republican incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the 1st Congressional District, while Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott unseated Republican incumbent Zach Nunn in the 3rd District. Combined with James’ win in the 2nd, Democrats captured three of Iowa’s four U.S. House seats, all previously held by Republicans.
Republican Chris McGowan defeated Democrat Dave Dawson in the open 4th Congressional District race, keeping a large part of western and northwestern Iowa in Republican hands. The state’s new House delegation will include three Democrats and one Republican.
Cerro Gordo County sees Democratic pickup and Republican wins
In one of the most closely watched North Iowa legislative contests, Democrat Jacob Welper defeated Republican incumbent Christian Hermanson in Iowa House District 59, a victory reported as a margin of nearly 700 votes. The result flips the district to Democrats and gives the Mason City area a new voice in the Iowa House.
Elsewhere in Cerro Gordo County, Republican Casey Callanan won another term representing District 2 on the county Board of Supervisors, defeating Democrat Cody Williams. Republican Dani Ollenburg won the Iowa House District 60 contest against Democrat Alexander Schmidt.
County races also produced a mix of winners: Republican Nikki Fessler won the county treasurer’s office, while Democrats AnnMarie Legler and Kaitlyn Kemna Ausborn won the county recorder and county attorney races, respectively. The results illustrate the split-ticket voting that characterized election night: voters who supported Democrats in some races also elected Republicans in others.
Democrats gain other statewide offices, GOP holds Legislature
Democrat Nate Willems defeated Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird, who conceded Wednesday. Democrat Taylor Wettach also emerged as the winner in the closely contested race to succeed Sand as state auditor, according to subsequent election reporting. Republicans Paul Pate and Mike Naig won reelection as secretary of state and secretary of agriculture, respectively, while Republican Treasurer Roby Smith held off Democrat John Norwood.
Republicans nevertheless retained control of both chambers of the Iowa Legislature. Democrats picked up seats in the House and Senate, but Sand will take office facing Republican majorities that can block or reshape his proposals on taxes, education, spending and other major issues.
That balance creates a divided state government and an immediate test of whether the newly elected Democratic governor and Republican legislative leaders can reach agreements. The Democrats’ big night did not translate into a statewide rejection of every Republican candidate.
Democrats made substantial gains in the Iowa Legislature during the November 3, 2026, election, although Republicans maintained control of both chambers. In the 100-member Iowa House of Representatives, Republicans entered the election holding 67 seats compared to 33 Democrats. The new balance will be 56 Republicans and 44 Democrats, representing a net gain of 11 seats for Democrats. In the 50-member Iowa Senate, the Republican advantage narrowed from 33-17 to 32-18, a net Democratic gain of one seat. Overall, Republicans will hold 88 of Iowa’s 150 legislative seats, compared to 62 for Democrats. The Democratic gains, including Jacob Welper’s victory over Republican incumbent Christian Hermanson in the Mason City-area House District 59, will leave incoming Democratic Governor Rob Sand facing a Republican-controlled Legislature with significantly reduced GOP margins. Importantly, Republicans will no longer hold the two-thirds majority necessary to override a governor’s veto without Democratic support.
Election ushers in new representation for North Iowa
For Mason City, Clear Lake and surrounding communities, the results bring changes at multiple levels of government: a new governor, a new U.S. senator, a new Democratic representative in Congress and a new Democratic state House member in District 59. Meanwhile, voters returned Callanan to the Cerro Gordo County Board and supported other Republican candidates.
NIT previously reported on strong early voting in Cerro Gordo County and President Trump’s pre-election visit to Iowa.
Vote totals and results are based on election-night and November 4 reporting. Official figures remain subject to canvassing and certification.
The results will also test whether or not republicans will see the light. If they spend the next two years blocking everything Sand asks of them and therefore getting nothing done, perhaps in 2028 we will see the rest of the party sitting on the sidelines. If they decide they can compromise with Sand, they might be able to retain their seats.