Let's check the notebook on a few things

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A lot of news in Iowa’s race for governor in 2026.

Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand is on the campaign trail with another 100-town hall tour. Republican challenger Zach Lahn took part in the March for Life at the Iowa Statehouse and spoke at a Dickinson County Republican gathering. But I haven’t seen him hold traditional campaign events yet since the primary election.

The pace and method of campaigning for these two will be interesting to compare leading up to the general election in November. What will they do? Lots of in person events where they take questions from the audience? Press conferences? Traditional media interviews? Podcasts/non-traditional media interviews? Travel to all 99 counties before November’s election?

Iowa/Kansas

Democrats have been ripping Lahn for weeks (months?) about being a Kansan and not an Iowan. Watch what Lahn told me about his frequent trips to Kansas.

Question: Could Lahn help counteract some of that criticism by aggressively campaigning across the state so Iowans get to know him and better understand why he prioritizes his trips between Iowa and Kansas?

Lahn’s timeline

I’ve heard some comments insisting that Lahn moved to Iowa just in time in 2024 to establish residency so he could meet the two-year minimum needed to run for governor. Gov. Kim Reynolds was still planning to run for re-election at that point.

Former state Rep. Brad Sherman of Williamsburg planned to run for governor in 2026 regardless of what Reynolds did. But I have found nothing to show that Lahn planned to run for governor when he moved to the state two years ago. As far as I can tell, Lahn didn’t decide to run for governor until Reynolds decided that she no longer would.

Complaints

I’ve already heard complaints from Lahn supporters about the heavier media coverage so far of Lahn’s campaign (e.g., Kansas, Derek Wulf’s financial troubles, Lahn’s divorce, how Lahn made his money, Lahn’s investments in a men’s sexual health company). But there hasn’t been as much into Sand’s past, his family’s wealth and background.

Iowa Down Ballot

On our weekly podcast about Iowa politics, we explore the role of lieutenant governors and the latest struggles for some Libertarian candidates to get/stay on the ballot in Iowa.

You can watch or listen to the show here.

Needs more time

Sand isn’t saying whether he agrees with Gov. Reynolds to privatize the state’s information technology operations or if if would reverse the move if he becomes the next governor. Why won’t he say yet? Sand explains here.

Wheat woes

Contributing to American Farmland Owner for the past 3 years (almost) has taught me so much more about agriculture…the challenges, the opportunities, the obstacles to overcome in the future. Far fewer Americans farm these days (1-2%), but the ripple effects from agriculture impact far more families.

One thing that I just learned: It’s not easy being a wheat farmer in the Southern Plains’ states this year. Here’s why.

2026

I have been thinking a lot about where to put my focus between now and the mid-term elections. There are plenty of stories out there about which candidate raised the most money, which one is ahead in the polls, and what juvenile zinger one candidate lobbed at another. But how do we focus on what’s really important?

I’ll have more to say about that in a followup piece this weekend.

For now, please add your insights into the poll question below:

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