Iowa governor’s race

D Democratic Rob Sand

Supports public healthcare and cancer taskforce

Sand advocates treating Iowa's rising cancer growth rate as an urgent public health crisis through increased research funding, mandatory radon warnings on home sales, and expanded water monitoring. He pledges to reverse Medicaid privatization via executive order on his first day in office and expand rural telehealth access.

• Reverse Medicaid privatization by executive order on day one
• Establish a Cabinet-level Cancer Task Force under the Department of Health and Human Services
• Invest in state cancer research, radon testing, and clean water notification systems
• Expand telehealth insurance coverage and provide assistance for satellite internet access

“We’re winning the contests we want to lose, and losing the contests we want to win.”

R Republican Zach Lahn

Supports MAHA agenda and cancer research

Lahn aligns with the 'Make Iowa Healthy Again' movement to combat the state's cancer crisis through clean food, clean water, and honest medicine. He proposes redirecting University of Iowa medical research toward cancer solutions and conducting independent state safety tests on consumer products.

• Adopt the Make Iowa Healthy Again (MAHA) campaign platform
• Redirect University of Iowa medical research specifically toward solving Iowa's cancer crisis
• Conduct independent state safety tests on agricultural and consumer products used in Iowa
• Incentivize farmers to implement proven solutions for agricultural runoff and water contamination

“I believe Big Ag and Big Pharma have treated our farmers and families as numbers, not neighbors. We will break up monopolies, defend independent farms, and demand accountability from corporations who harm our people.”

D Democratic Rob Sand

Supports conservation tax credits and land protection

Sand proposes income and property tax credits for farmers adopting voluntary conservation practices and nutrient management plans. He supports taxing out-of-state landowners at higher rates, publishing online manure management plans, and expanding wetland reverse-auctions.

• Tax out-of-state landowners at a higher rate to keep farmland in local hands
• Provide income tax and property tax credits for farmers adopting approved nutrient and conservation plans
• Publish manure management plans online via a single free form for public transparency
• Invest in digester technology to capture methane and convert nitrates into usable fertilizer

“Farmers know we can do better, and want to do better. They are an ally in getting clean water – it’s the politicians who are blocking progress.”

R Republican Zach Lahn

Opposes foreign ownership and ag monopolies

Lahn pledges to 'Free Iowa's Farmers' by pursuing antitrust lawsuits against large agricultural input monopolies. He advocates confiscating land illegally held by China to resell to young families and veterans, raising property taxes on Wall Street institutional investors, and banning eminent domain for private corporate gain.

• File antitrust lawsuits against big agricultural input corporations to break up monopolies
• Confiscate farmland illegally owned by China and resell it to young families and veterans
• Raise property tax rates on Wall Street institutional investors buying up land and homes
• Oppose any use of eminent domain for private corporate profit

“We have the best farmland in the world, but the system is rigged so the farmer always comes in last. It’s time for a change.”

D Democratic Rob Sand

Opposes unvetted vouchers and supports pre-K

Sand proposes funding universal all-day pre-K by eliminating private school tuition vouchers for wealthy families who can afford tuition on their own. He advocates imposing strict income limits, annual financial audits, and tuition caps on private schools receiving state funds.

• Fund universal all-day pre-K by restricting private school voucher eligibility for wealthy families
• Mandate annual audits and public oversight for private schools receiving state vouchers
• Cap private school tuition increases to ensure voucher funds are not absorbed by price hikes
• End no-bid management contracts for private voucher program administrators

“Iowa’s private school voucher program takes resources away from public schools, and has no accountability for how that money is being spent.”

R Republican Zach Lahn

Opposes classroom indoctrination and standardized testing

Lahn focuses on eliminating political ideology from public schools, calling for mandatory teaching license revocations for instructors pushing political agendas. He proposes establishing school innovation zones, reducing standardized testing, and prioritizing in-state enrollment quotas at public universities.

• Revoke teaching licenses for educators caught pushing political doctrines in classrooms
• Establish innovation zones to give superintendents and principals freedom to innovate
• Eliminate or significantly reduce standardized testing requirements
• Increase resident student enrollment quotas at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University

“If a teacher is caught pushing a political agenda in the classroom, teaching license will be revoked, period.”

D Democratic Rob Sand

Supports strict ethics rules and reform

Sand advocates for a sweeping government ethics reform package that includes banning stock trading for state politicians, enforcing mandatory prison time for public fund theft, and setting term and age limits. He also pledges to restore full audit authority to the State Auditor's Office and require annual town halls for elected officials.

• Ban stock trading for statewide elected officials and legislators, requiring blind trusts
• Mandate prison sentences for stealing over $10,000 in taxpayer dollars
• Enforce term limits (maximum 12 years in legislature, 20 years total in state office) and age limits (78 years old)
• Restore full statutory document access and oversight powers to the State Auditor's Office
• Require statewide officials to hold 20 annual public town halls and legislators to hold 5 in their districts

“I support mandatory prison time for anyone found guilty of stealing over $10,000 in taxpayer dollars, banning anyone convicted of fraud from doing business with the state, and stripping them of taxpayer-funded benefits like retirement and health care.”

R Republican Zach Lahn

Supports anti-establishment outsider governance

Lahn frames his campaign around anti-establishment governance, self-funding his race to maintain independence from corporate donors and political consultants. He promises to serve the public rather than special interests or party elites.

• Serve as an independent candidate not beholden to corporate donors or consultants
• Prioritize local community stewardship over career political insider interests

“I don’t answer to donors or corporations — only to God, my family, and the people of this state.”

D Democratic Rob Sand

Supports reining in deficits and rural remote jobs

Sand promises to reign in state spending to address a projected $1.4 billion budget deficit while protecting essential public services. He proposes the 'Statewide Work, Statewide Jobs' initiative to allow state employees to work remotely in rural Iowa towns.

• Address a projected $1.4 billion budget deficit through fiscal discipline and spending oversight
• Enact 'Statewide Work, Statewide Jobs' to permit state employees to work remotely in rural communities
• Eliminate four-year college degree requirements for state government jobs
• Higher tax rates on out-of-state landowners to reduce the burden on resident taxpayers

“After ten years of one-party rule, Iowa has the worst economy in the nation and is set to face a record-breaking budget deficit of nearly $1.4 billion.”

R Republican Zach Lahn

Supports lower taxes and local business preference

Lahn advocates reducing taxes for Iowa residents by shifting property tax burdens onto Wall Street institutional investors. He calls for ending state tax credits and economic development incentives for out-of-state corporations to prioritize local Iowa businesses.

• Lower property taxes for residents offset by higher property tax rates on Wall Street investors
• Provide tax rebates and down payment assistance for young Iowans buying homes
• End state tax credits and economic development funds for foreign and out-of-state corporations
• Pass food freedom policies to support local food production and lower household costs

“End tax credits and economic development funds for out-of-state and foreign corporations and prioritize Iowa-based companies with deep community roots.”

D Democratic Rob Sand

Supports protecting reproductive access and IVF

Sand pledges to veto culture war legislation restricting access to reproductive healthcare, IVF, surrogacy, or contraception. He emphasizes protecting rural maternal health care facilities and preserving healthcare workforce retention.

• Veto legislation restricting access to contraception, IVF, or surrogacy
• Protect maternal healthcare access and rural labor and delivery units
• Keep state government out of personal healthcare decisions and culture wars

“As government insiders and my opponents promise further culture wars and restrictions on fundamental freedoms, I would veto any culture war bills that cross my desk that further attacks on providers, make Iowa a less welcoming place to live, and threaten access to surrogacy, contraception, and IVF.”

R Republican Zach Lahn

Supports protecting unborn life

Lahn takes a pro-life stance, affirming that human life is a gift from God that must be protected before birth. He connects his pro-life position to addressing chronic childhood health issues following birth.

• Protect unborn human life before birth as a gift from God
• Address chronic childhood health issues after birth

“Every life is a gift from God and it is our duty to protect life before birth, as well as after birth by addressing chronic health issues facing our kids.”

D Democratic Rob Sand

Supports open primaries and approval voting

Sand advocates ending the traditional two-party system by creating a single public primary where all voters participate and the top four candidates advance to the general election. He supports implementing Approval Voting in general elections to ensure independent voters have an equal say.

• Create a single open primary open to all voters, advancing the top four candidates
• Implement Approval Voting in general elections allowing voters to approve of multiple candidates
• Ensure independent voters have equal primary participation without joining a political party

“Iowa’s current election system forces you to join a private club in order to exercise your constitutional right to vote, disenfranchising independent voters.”

D Democratic Rob Sand

Supports legalizing and regulating adult-use cannabis

Sand advocates fully legalizing, taxing, and regulating adult-use cannabis like alcohol to boost state revenues and create an estimated 7,000 jobs. His proposal prioritizes cultivation licenses for family farms, reverses consumable hemp bans, and establishes clear product safety and potency rules.

• Legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis under the Alcoholic Beverages Division
• Prioritize grow licenses for small and mid-sized family farms
• Reverse HF 2605 to allow the sale of consumable hemp and THC beverage products
• Set potency limits of 10mg THC per serving / 100mg per package and restrict purchases to adults 21 and older

“Iowa taxpayers are spending their money in Illinois, Missouri, and Minnesota when that money could be kept right here at home to help boost Iowa’s economy and increase state revenue.”

R Republican Zach Lahn

Supports banning benefits and H1B restrictions

Lahn advocates strict state immigration restrictions, including banning public benefits for undocumented immigrants. He also pledges to stop issuing H1B visas for state government and public university positions that Iowa residents can perform.

• Ban public benefits for illegal immigrants in Iowa
• Stop issuing H1B visas for state government and public university jobs that Iowans can perform

“We will ban benefits for illegal immigrants, and stop issues H1B visas for jobs that Iowans can do in state government and in our universities.”