REAL DUBUQUE NEWS (RDN)
Election night wrap: Sand, Turek and James win; Iowa approves Amendment 1
LOCAL NEWS WIRE • November 03, 2026
All 11 watched races are called. Sand takes the governor's race by 146,150, Turek the Senate seat by 56,715, James the 2nd District by 13,762; Amendment 1 passes with a 143,247-vote margin. County races are final. Unofficial until the canvass.
KEY FACTS & RECORD HIGHLIGHTS
- Governor (SOS, 11:18 PM): Rob Sand / Dave Muhlbauer (D) 711,066 (55.65%); Zach Lahn / Derek Wulf (R) 564,916 (44.21%); write-in 1,685. Margin 146,150. AP called for Sand ~10:12 PM. Open seat. Unofficial.
- U.S. Senate (SOS, 11:18 PM): Josh Turek (D) 643,996 (50.63%); Ashley Hinson (R) 587,281 (46.17%); Thomas Laehn (L) 39,111 (3.07%); write-in 1,631. Margin 56,715. AP called for Turek ~10:35 PM. Open seat, replaces Joni Ernst. Unofficial.
- Amendment 1 (SOS, 11:18 PM): Yes 642,200 (56.28%); No 498,953 (43.72%). Margin 143,247. RDN call on SOS figures, outcome certain. AP has not called. Means: two-thirds legislative vote required for future income tax increases. Unofficial.
- IA-2 (SOS, 11:18 PM): Lindsay James (D) 171,484 (49.50%); Joe Mitchell (R) 157,722 (45.53%); Rick Stewart (L) 9,500 (2.74%); Dave Bushaw (NP) 7,469 (2.16%); write-in 226. Margin 13,762; 22/22 counties. AP called for James ~11:25 PM. Open seat; Cook Toss Up. Unofficial.
- Dubuque County FINAL (34/34): HD65 Lundgren 7,995 vs Wiezorek 7,536 (margin 459; lead flipped from 8:58 PM); HD72 Robinson 7,368 vs Smith 6,351 (margin 1,017); County Attorney Drahozal 22,230 vs Nelson 20,071 (margin 2,159); Supervisors Dietzel 22,076, Dickinson 19,576, Davis 18,941, Kenniker 18,086 (top two take seats); Recorder Sweeney 27,748 vs Rabagia 8,014 (margin 19,734). Unofficial.
- HD64 (3/3 counties): Gearhart 8,335 (62.40%) vs Bruening 5,014 (37.54%), margin 3,321. HD67 (3/3 counties): Johnson 9,023 (63.41%) vs Coonrad 5,195 (36.51%), margin 3,828. Unofficial.
- Next: Dubuque County canvass meets next week; state canvass must be complete by Nov. 30 (Iowa Code 50.38; 27-day limit). Results unofficial until certified.
REAL DUBUQUE NEWS (RDN)
DUBUQUE: Every race Real Dubuque News watched on Tuesday night is called. The Associated Press called the governor's race for Rob Sand, the Senate race for Josh Turek and House District 2 for Lindsay James; RDN called Constitutional Amendment 1 for Yes on the Secretary of State's figures. All figures below are unofficial until the county and state canvasses certify them.
Governor: Sand and Dave Muhlbauer lead Zach Lahn and Derek Wulf, 711,066 votes to 564,916, about 55.7 percent to 44.2 percent, a margin of 146,150. The AP called it for Sand at about 10:12 p.m. It is an open seat.
U.S. Senate: Turek leads Ashley Hinson, 643,996 to 587,281, about 50.6 percent to 46.2 percent, with Thomas Laehn at 39,111, a margin of 56,715. The AP called it for Turek at about 10:35 p.m. It is an open seat, replacing Joni Ernst.
Constitutional Amendment 1: Yes leads No, 642,200 to 498,953, about 56.3 percent to 43.7 percent, a margin of 143,247. RDN called the measure for Yes on the Secretary of State's figures; the margin exceeds the vote still uncounted, so the outcome is certain. The AP has not called it. What it means: the Iowa Constitution will require a two-thirds vote of both legislative chambers to raise the individual or corporate income tax rate or create a new income tax.
U.S. House District 2: James leads Joe Mitchell, 171,484 to 157,722, about 49.5 percent to 45.5 percent, with Rick Stewart at 9,500 and Dave Bushaw at 7,469, a margin of 13,762. The AP called it for James at about 11:25 p.m. It is an open seat; the Cook Political Report rated it a toss up.
Dubuque County is final, 34 of 34 precincts. State House District 65: Shannon Lundgren holds off Carolyn Wiezorek, 7,995 to 7,536, a margin of 459; Wiezorek led at 8:58 p.m. before Lundgren pulled ahead. State House District 72: Matt Robinson defeats Jennifer Smith, 7,368 to 6,351. County Attorney: Steve Drahozal defeats Scott Nelson, 22,230 to 20,071. County Supervisors, vote for two: Kristin Dietzel and Rick Dickinson take the seats, 22,076 and 19,576, ahead of Jason Davis at 18,941 and Wayne Kenniker at 18,086. County Recorder: Ann E. Sweeney defeats Michael Rabagia, 27,748 to 8,014.
Also called: State House District 64, Jason Gearhart defeats Brian Bruening, 8,335 to 5,014; State House District 67, Craig Johnson defeats Michael Coonrad, 9,023 to 5,195.
What happens next: the Dubuque County canvass meets next week, and the state canvass must be complete by November 30. Results stay unofficial until the canvasses certify them. RDN keeps the results board updated as certification completes.
Official Attribution: Iowa Secretary of State election results, electionresults.iowa.gov (statewide, last updated 11:17:59 p.m. CT Nov 3) • KCRG election results widget, AP-fed (~11:25 p.m. CT; Winner badges on Sand, Turek, James) • Ballotpedia Election results certification dates, 2026 (Iowa state canvass date 11/30/2026) • Iowa Code 50.38 (state canvass not later than 27 days after the election)