REAL DUBUQUE NEWS (RDN)
Iowa's governor race: AP calls it for Rob Sand
LOCAL NEWS WIRE • November 03, 2026
Sand leads Zach Lahn 603,205 to 476,083 in the Secretary of State's 10:07 p.m. figures (1,180 of 1,656 precincts, 70 of 99 counties). The AP called the race for Sand at about 10:14 p.m.; the SOS figures agree. All figures unofficial.
KEY FACTS & RECORD HIGHLIGHTS
- Governor statewide (SOS, 10:07 PM CT): Rob Sand / Dave Muhlbauer (D) 603,205 (55.82%); Zach Lahn / Derek Wulf (R) 476,083 (44.06%). Sand leads by 127,122. Write-in 1,364. Unofficial.
- 1,180 of 1,656 precincts reporting; 70 of 99 counties reporting; 1,080,652 votes cast.
- AP called the race at ~10:14 PM CT (via KCRG): AP count Sand 615,628 (57.8%) vs Lahn 450,060 (42.2%), about 77.1% of the estimated vote in. The SOS figures agree with the call.
- RDN retracted an incorrect earlier report of an AP call at ~10:05 PM CT (correction article). This call is verified against the AP-fed page (Winner badge with checkmark on Rob Sand, ~10:14 PM CT).
- Dubuque County FINAL (34 of 34 precincts): Sand 24,674 vs Lahn 18,979.
- Open seat. Results are unofficial until the county and state canvasses certify them.
REAL DUBUQUE NEWS (RDN)
DES MOINES: The Associated Press has called Iowa's governor race for Rob Sand. In the Iowa Secretary of State's figures, last updated at 10:07 p.m., Sand leads Zach Lahn by 127,122 votes, 603,205 to 476,083, about 55.8 percent to 44.1 percent, with 1,180 of 1,656 precincts reporting and 70 of 99 counties reporting.
The AP's own count at about 10:14 p.m. showed Sand at 615,628 votes (57.8 percent) to Lahn's 450,060 (42.2 percent), with about 77.1 percent of the estimated vote in. The Secretary of State figures agree with the AP call.
A note on the record: RDN reported earlier tonight that the AP had called this race, then retracted that report at about 10:05 p.m. after a recheck found no AP call had been made. The AP has now called the race, verified against the AP-fed results page.
In Dubuque County, where all 34 precincts have reported, Sand leads Lahn 24,674 to 18,979.
This is a call, not a certification. Results are unofficial until the county and state canvasses. RDN follows the returns all night, with the night wrap story once every watched race is called.
Official Attribution: Iowa Secretary of State election results, electionresults.iowa.gov (statewide, last updated 10:07:42 p.m. CT Nov 3) • KCRG election results page, AP-fed (~10:14 p.m. CT; AP Winner badge on Rob Sand) • Iowa Secretary of State, Dubuque County page (34 of 34 precincts, final)