The 2018 Iowa gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018. Incumbent Republican Governor Kim Reynolds ran for election to a full term, facing

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

businessman Fred Hubbell, Libertarian Jake Porter, and independent candidate Gary Siegwarth. On Election Day, Reynolds won 50.3% of the vote, a 2.8% margin of victory, and carried 88 of Iowa's 99 counties. She became the first female governor of Iowa elected in her own right. This was the first Iowa gubernatorial election since

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...

in which the winner was of the same party as the incumbent president.

Background

After the

2016 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kirib ...

, President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...

nominated then-Governor

Terry Branstad Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is an American politician and former diplomat. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979 before serving as governor of Iowa fr ...

to be the United States Ambassador to China. When Branstad was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and ...

, he resigned as Iowa Governor to assume the ambassadorship on May 24, 2017. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds then became Governor of Iowa.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

* Kim Reynolds, incumbent Governor of Iowa.

Withdrew

Ron Corbett Ron Corbett (born October 12, 1960) is an American politician and former mayor of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Early life and education Corbett was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1960. In 1974, his family moved to Iowa and he later graduated from Cornel ...

, Mayor of Cedar Rapids * Steven Ray, Mayor pro tempore of Boone

Declined

, United States Ambassador to China and former Governor * Steve King, U.S. Representative * Bill Northey, U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services and former Secretary of Agriculture of Iowa * Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The Family Leader, candidate for Governor of Iowa in 2002, 2006 and 2010 and nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa in 2006

Endorsements

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominated

* Fred Hubbell, businessman

Eliminated in primary

Cathy Glasson Cathy Glasson is an American nurse, union leader, and former candidate for Governor of Iowa, running in the 2018 Democratic primary. She is President of SEIU Local 199 in Iowa and has received support from the union. Glasson lost the primary to b ...

, president of SEIU Local 199 * Andy McGuire, former chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party and candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2006 * John Norris, former chief of staff to Governor Tom Vilsack, former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission member and nominee for

IA-04 Iowa's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers its northwestern part, bordering the states of Minnesota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, and the Missouri River. The district includes Sioux ...

in 2002 *

Ross Wilburn Ross Wilburn (1964/1965) is an American politician and social worker serving as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 46th district. Elected in November 2018, he assumed office in January 2019. Wilburn has also served as chair of ...

, former mayor of Iowa City

Withdrew

Nate Boulton Nate Boulton (born May 23, 1980) is an American politician serving in the Iowa Senate since 2017. Boulton, a Democrat, represents the 20th District. Boulton was first elected in 2016 to replace retiring Democratic Senator Dick Dearden. In May ...

, state senator * Rich Leopold, director of the Polk County Conservation Board and former Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources * Mike Matson,

Davenport Davenport may refer to: Places Australia *Davenport, Northern Territory, a locality * Hundred of Davenport, cadastral unit in South Australia **Davenport, South Australia, suburb of Port Augusta **District Council of Davenport, former local govern ...

alderman * Jon Neiderbach, attorney, former member of the

Des Moines Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moine ...

School Board and nominee for State Auditor in

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

Todd Prichard Todd Prichard (born 1974) is a Democratic member of the Iowa House of Representatives, representing the 52nd district. Prichard was first elected in a January 22, 2013 special election. Prichard was considering running for governor in 2018, but ...

, state representative

Declined

* Chaz Allen, state senator *

Joe Bolkcom Joseph Bolkcom (born July 29, 1956) is a member of the Iowa Senate. A Democrat, he was first elected to the Senate in 1998. He represents the 43rd District of the General Assembly, which includes most of metropolitan Iowa City. Bolkcom currentl ...

, state senator * Bill Brauch, former director of the Consumer Protection Division of the Iowa Attorney General's Office * Mike Carberry, Johnson County Supervisor * Jeff Danielson, state senator * Michael Gronstal, former Majority Leader of the Iowa Senate * Chris Hall, state representative *

Rita Hart Rita Hart (born May 5, 1956) is an American politician and retired educator who served as an Iowa State Senator from the 49th district from 2013 to 2019. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In the 2018 gubernatorial election, Hart ran for ...

, state senator (nominee for Lieutenant Governor) *

Jack Hatch Jack G. Hatch (born March 13, 1950) is a former Iowa State Senator and American business owner. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Iowa in the 2014 election. A Democrat, Hatch served in the Iowa Senate from 2003 to 2015, and was an a ...

, former state senator and nominee for Governor of Iowa in

* Rob Hogg, Minority Leader of the Iowa Senate and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016 *

Pam Jochum Pam Jochum (born September 26, 1954) is an American politician serving as the Iowa State Senator from the 50th District and former President of the Iowa Senate. A Democrat, she was a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1993 to 2009 ...

, state senator * Dave Loebsack, U.S. Representative * Liz Mathis, state senator *

Jim Mowrer The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the four U.S. representatives from the state of Iowa, one from each of the state's four congressional districts. The elections coincide ...

, nominee for

in 2014 and IA-03 in 2016 (ran for the nomination for Secretary of State) * Tyler Olson, former state representative, former chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party and candidate for Governor of Iowa in

* Janet Petersen, state senator *

Steve Sodders Steven J. "Steve" Sodders was a Democratic politician, who was a Mayor of State Center, Iowa. He also served as Deputy Sheriff in Marshall County until he was forced into early retirement for falsifying records. He received his A.S. from I ...

, former state senator * Tom Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and former Governor of Iowa

Endorsements

Polling

Results

Libertarian primary

Libertarian Party presidential nominee

Gary Johnson Gary Earl Johnson (born January 1, 1953) is an American businessman, author, and politician. He served as the 29th governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 as a member of the Republican Party. He was the Libertarian Party nominee for Presid ...

received 3.8 percent of the votes in Iowa in 2016, surpassing the 2 percent threshold to attain full political party status. As a result, the Libertarian Party was allowed to hold a primary to select a nominee.

Candidates

Nominated

* Jake Porter, business consultant

Declared

* Marco Battaglia, musician * Jake Porter, nominee for Secretary of State in 2010 and 2014

Endorsements

Results

Independents

Candidates

* Gary Siegwarth, Fisheries Biologist

Withdrew

* Brent Roske, director and candidate for CA-33 in

Endorsements

General election

Debates

Predictions

Polling

;with Nate Boulton ;with Cathy Glasson ;with generic Democrat ;with John Norris ;with Andy McGuire

Results

While pre-election polls showed Reynolds trailing Hubbell, Reynolds won 50.3% of the vote on Election Day, primarily by sweeping every county west of Des Moines and dominating the 4th Congressional District (she lost the other three). Ultimately, she carried 88 of Iowa's 99 counties. She became the first female governor of Iowa elected in her own right.

References

External links

Candidates
at

Vote Smart Vote Smart, formerly called Project Vote Smart, is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. It covers candidates and elected officials in si ...

Candidates
at

Ballotpedia Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...

;Official campaign websites
Gary Siegwarth (I) for GovernorFred Hubbell (D) for GovernorJake Porter (L) for GovernorKim Reynolds (R) for Governor
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iowa gubernatorial election, 2018 Gubernatorial 2018 2018 United States gubernatorial elections

Background

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

Withdrew

Declined

Endorsements

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in primary

Withdrew

Declined

Endorsements

Polling

Results

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominated

Declared

Endorsements

Results

Independents

Candidates

Withdrew

Endorsements

General election

Debates

Predictions

Polling

Results

See also

References

External links