Who is Zach Lahn and what is Lahn running on in the 2026 Iowa Governor race?
Zach Lahn (R) is the underdog in the 2026 Iowa Governor race, with about a 23% chance of winning, according to Kalshi and Polymarket on Oct 1.
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Zach Lahn is the Republican candidate for Iowa governor. Farmer and businessman; co-founder of investment firm Homeplace Ventures and a private school in Wichita, Kansas; anti-establishment outsider. Running mate: state Rep. Derek Wulf. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The race
Chance of winning: Kalshi and Polymarket, Oct 1
- The seat: Open seat (Kim Reynolds not running).
- Rating: Lean D flip (Cook, Sept 10, 2026).
- Polling: Sand 50 to 51, Lahn 39 to 41 (YouGov, Sept 3 to 8, 2026); Sand 49, Lahn 46 (Emerson, Aug 31-Sept 1, 2026).
Why Lahn is behind
- Sand leads every recent poll, by 3 to 11 points.
- Lahn is a surprise nominee: he narrowly beat Trump-endorsed Randy Feenstra (37.65% to 36.9%). He faces questions about living in Kansas until 2023, and his running mate Derek Wulf is under investigation for alleged theft and fraud.
- Sand’s favorability is 54/33 vs Lahn’s 38/41, and Trump is underwater in Iowa (Fox News poll, June 2026).
- As state auditor, Sand built a statewide anti-waste profile and ran unopposed in his primary.
What Lahn is running on
- Abortion. Unapologetically pro-life from conception; supports the six-week ban and opposes mail-order abortion pills.
- Taxes. Would eliminate the state income tax and raise property taxes on out-of-state landowners, Wall Street investors and data centers.
- Education. Would expand Education Savings Accounts for private schools, end teaching about systemic racism, and revoke licenses of teachers who push political agendas.
- Immigration. Would bar benefits for people in the country illegally and restrict H-1B holders from state and university jobs.
- Environment / agriculture. Would hold companies accountable for water quality, encourage alternatives to nitrogen fertilizer, veto chemical-company immunity bills, and confront agricultural cartels.
- Guns. Wants looser gun laws, including allowing permit holders to carry in schools.
In Lahn’s own words
“Iowa can be a beacon, the safest, freest, most family-centered state in America”
The other candidates
Every race
See every Senate and governor race on the ballot, with each candidate’s chance of winning: the 2026 midterms at a glance.
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