Preview

Preview data. Not yet reviewed. Every finding below was researched with AI and is public so anyone can check it. People have not signed off yet. How review works

Governor

Governor, Iowa

November 3, 2026 · 8 statements · 2026.09.23-843510a1

  • Not yet reviewed by a person.
  • The candidate list has not yet been checked against the certified state list.

Candidates

  • Zach Lahn

    Republican

    Sourced positions on 4 of 8

    Limited data. Sourced positions on fewer than 60 percent of the statements.

  • Rob Sand

    Democratic

    Sourced positions on 7 of 8

Statements and positions

AgreeDisagreeNo clear position Select a position to see the evidence behind it.

State statements

TaxesNo. 1/8

Iowa should eliminate its state income tax.

Background

Iowa moved to a single flat income tax rate of 3.8 percent in 2025. Eliminating the tax would remove the state's largest revenue source, requiring spending cuts or other revenue to replace it.

Zach Lahn Agree

I think income tax would be the lowest hanging fruit to be able to eliminate for the people of Iowa.

Interview or debate · Apr 2, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

I would like to find a way to get the income taxes to zero. Absolutely.

Press quote · Jul 10, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.75)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Rob Sand Disagree

I don't think so

Press quote · Jul 10, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.60)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

TaxesNo. 2/8

Iowa should end the sales tax exemption for equipment bought for data centers.

Background

Iowa exempts servers and other data center equipment from its sales tax to attract large tech facilities. Ending the exemption would raise state revenue and increase costs for data center projects.

Zach Lahn No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

Rob Sand Agree

These data centers are also getting huge sales tax breaks on everything inside the data center.

Press quote · Aug 4, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.60)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

EconomyNo. 3/8

Iowa should set a state minimum wage higher than $7.25 an hour.

Background

Iowa's minimum wage matches the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour, and a 2017 state law bars counties from setting higher wages. A higher state minimum would apply to most employers across Iowa.

Zach Lahn No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

Rob Sand Agree

I support raising the minimum wage to $12/hour.

Campaign or official site · Aug 12, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
High (0.90)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Health careNo. 4/8

Iowa should end the use of private insurance companies to manage its Medicaid program.

Background

Since 2016, Iowa has paid private managed-care companies to run most of its Medicaid program. Ending this would return management to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Zach Lahn Disagree

There are more protections that we can put in place to make sure Iowans are getting great care, and they're getting the protections that they deserve.

Interview or debate · Aug 11, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

We need to make sure that we are not using MCOs that are vertically integrated. You can't own the providers. You can't own the pharmacies. You have to have real competition in the markets.

Interview or debate · Aug 11, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.70)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Rob Sand Agree

reversing the privatization of Medicaid – which I will begin on day one

Campaign or official site · Aug 12, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

It (won't) happen overnight. It was a more than a yearlong process to privatize it, but I want to get it done. I want to start it on Day 1.

Press quote · May 19, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
High (0.90)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

EducationNo. 5/8

Iowa should limit its private school education savings accounts to lower- and middle-income families.

Background

Since the 2025-26 school year, every Iowa student can receive a state-funded education savings account of about $7,800 for private school costs, regardless of income. Income limits would reduce the number of eligible families and the program's cost.

Zach Lahn No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

Rob Sand Agree

We should have income limits on the program. It shouldn't be going to the wealthiest Iowans.

Press quote · Jun 2, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.60)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

AbortionNo. 6/8

Iowa should ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy.

Background

Since July 2024, Iowa law bans most abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, usually around six weeks, with limited exceptions. A ban at all stages would also end abortions before that point.

Zach Lahn Agree

at conception

Interview or debate · Jan 28, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

My wife and I went through a process, and we were at a fertility clinic. We are now banned for life from that clinic because we refused to discard the embryos, and the ones we refused turned into our youngest son, Fritz.

Interview or debate · Jan 28, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.75)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Rob Sand Disagree

I would veto any bill that would further restrict Iowans' abortion access.

Press quote · May 19, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.60)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

ImmigrationNo. 7/8

Iowa should bar immigrants living in the country illegally from receiving any state-funded benefits.

Background

Immigrants without legal status are already ineligible for most federal and state public benefits, but some state-funded services, such as certain health and education programs, are available regardless of status. A full bar would close the remaining state-funded services to them.

Zach Lahn Agree

ban benefits for illegal immigrants, and stop issuing H1B visas for jobs that Iowans can do in state government and in our universities

Campaign or official site · Sep 23, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
High (0.85)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Rob Sand No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

Public safetyNo. 8/8

Iowa should legalize recreational marijuana for adults.

Background

Iowa allows only a limited medical cannabis program, and recreational use is a crime. Legalization would let adults buy and possess marijuana under state rules, with sales that could be taxed.

Zach Lahn No clear position

We found no public vote or statement that answers this. It is not counted.

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.

Know a source? Challenge with evidence.

Rob Sand Agree

I'm announcing my plan to legalize, tax, and regulate adult-use cannabis — so we can keep those dollars in Iowa, support our farmers, and start getting our budget back on track.

Press quote · Apr 20, 2026 · retrieved Sep 23, 2026

Verification
Quote found on the cited page by an independent check.
Confidence
Medium (0.60)
Review
Not yet reviewed by a person.