Iowa elections: Democrats flip seats, see who won key races

DES MOINES, Iowa (FOX 9) - The 2026 midterm elections shifted Iowa’s political balance, as Democrats flipped the governor’s office, an open U.S. Senate seat and three congressional districts. 

Meanwhile, Republicans maintained control of the state legislature. The results end nearly a decade of unified Republican control in Iowa and establish a divided state government.

Iowa governor’s race 

The backstory:

Democrat Rob Sand won the race for Iowa governor, defeating Republican nominee Zach Lahn to flip the state’s executive branch, the Associated Press reported.

Sand entered the race as the state auditor and the only Democrat holding statewide elected office in Iowa. 

The 44-year-old advanced to the general election after an upset victory in the Republican primary. 

Republicans previously held the governor's office for 16 years. His win breaks that streak and puts an end to the state's GOP trifecta, meaning the party no longer controls the governor's office, the state Senate and the state House.

U.S. Senate and House Races

Dig deeper:

In the race for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat, Democrat Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson, flipping the seat previously held by retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. 

Turek's victory makes him the first Democrat to win an Iowa U.S. Senate election since 2008, per AP.

Democrats also secured three of Iowa’s four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives:

• 1st Congressional District: Democrat Christina Bohannan defeated incumbent Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
• 2nd Congressional District: Democrat Lindsay James defeated Republican Joe Mitchell, flipping the open seat for Democrats.
• 3rd Congressional District: Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott won the district, defeating Republican incumbent Zach Nunn.
• 4th Congressional District: Republican Chris McGowan won the race, keeping the district in Republican hands.

READ MORE: Democrats win House and Senate - what this means for Trump's final two years

State legislative races

What we know:

While Democrats made significant gains in statewide and federal races, Republicans maintained their majorities in both chambers of the Iowa General Assembly.

• Iowa Senate: Republicans have secured 30 seats, while Democrats have won 15.
• Iowa House of Representatives: Republicans lead with 44 seats called in their favor compared to 37 seats for Democrats.

What we don't know:

Some state legislative results are still pending as of Wednesday morning. The Associated Press has not yet called five races in the Iowa Senate, though Republicans have already secured the 26 seats required for a majority in the 50-seat chamber. In the Iowa House, 19 races remain uncalled. There are 100 total seats in the House, meaning 51 are needed to reach a majority.

The Source: Information for this article was gathered from the Associated Press, the Iowa Legislature's website and Rob Sand's campaign page. This story was reported in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.