Ruby red state scrambles to slash governor's power amid panic that Dem could seize control

Republicans are making moves in Iowa to limit the next governor's powers in what has been seen as an acknowledgement that a Democrat might hold that role in the deep red state for the first time in decades.

Democratic state auditor Rob Sand is campaigning for governor by highlighting economic struggles, population decline and health crises in the state, arguing that Republican leadership has failed Iowans, and he'll face off against the winner of a jumbled GOP primary, reported the New York Times.

"Polls suggest a tight race in the Republican primary on June 2, when five candidates, including [Rep. Randy] Feenstra, will compete for their party’s nomination," the Times reported. "Mr. Sand is running unopposed on the Democratic side."

"That has led even some Republicans to see Mr. Sand as a real threat to their hold on the governor’s office," the report added. "In the Legislature, lawmakers have moved to limit the governor’s emergency powers in a bill that is seen as an acknowledgment that Mr. Sand could be Governor Reynolds’s successor. In March, Mr. Sand was sitting on the steps of the State Capitol for an interview when a woman in a suit, a Republican lobbyist, half-jokingly greeted him as 'Governor' as she hurried past."

At a brewery stop in Des Moines, Sand told voters that Iowa ranks among the worst economies in the nation, that college-educated residents are leaving in large numbers and that the state faces a rapidly growing cancer rate.

He also noted Iowa's high alcohol consumption rates, telling the crowd, "We should talk about the fact that consumption of alcohol is linked to cancer. So finish your beer, but think twice about having another one."

Iowa, once a swing state that backed Barack Obama in 2008, has seen Republicans control the governor's office for 15 years, dominate both chambers of the legislature, hold all six congressional seats and deliver President Donald Trump a margin of victory exceeding 13 percentage points in 2024.

For Sand to win, he must persuade significant numbers of Republicans and independents to support him, because voter registration data shows more Iowans are unaffiliated than Democratic, with even more registered as Republicans.

The 43-year-old Sand is running unopposed in the Democratic primary and has built substantial financial support. His campaign raised $9.5 million in 2025, outraising all Republican opponents combined. More than 1,500 registered Republicans and over 4,000 unaffiliated voters have contributed to his campaign.

Sand portrays himself as a pragmatist above partisan divisions, using the slogan "Not redder or bluer, but better and truer." His campaign materials feature forest green and blaze orange — colors reflecting his hunting background, which resonates in rural Iowa, and he has avoided publicly campaigning alongside national Democratic leaders.

The Cook Political Report moved the November race to "tossup" status in April. Sand's challenge lies in criticizing state performance without alienating Republican voters. Political science professor Megan Goldberg of Cornell College noted that if Sand directly blames Republican leaders for Iowa's problems, Republican voters may feel personally attacked.

Feenstra and other Republicans have warned that electing Sand would tilt the state to the left.

"We cannot have this state look like Minnesota or Illinois or California," Feenstra said at an event in February. That scares me."

Sand would be Iowa's first Democratic governor in two decades if elected. The last Democratic governor, Chet Culver, served one term from 2007 to 2011 before losing to Republican Terry Branstad.