Iowa’s GOP Governor Ticket Is Set
Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn named state Rep. Derek Wulf, R-Hudson, as his running mate on June 13, 2026, the day before the Iowa Republican State Convention was set to officially nominate the ticket. Wulf, a fourth-generation farmer and two-term Iowa House member, chairs the House Agriculture Committee.
Lahn’s primary win on June 2 was one of the narrowest in recent Iowa Republican history. He took 38% of the vote against five opponents, edging out U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra by less than one percentage point (37.2%). A race that close means roughly 1 in 3 Republican primary voters backed someone other than Lahn, making the choice of Wulf a clear signal about what coalition Lahn is trying to consolidate before November.
“Derek has been an Iowa First fighter for years in the legislature. Whether it was leading on Right to Repair, defending private property rights, or stopping corporate overreach, Derek has been there for Iowans.”
Zach Lahn, Republican gubernatorial candidate, campaign statement, June 13, 2026
Wulf’s legislative record centers on two issues that animate rural Iowa voters. He led the push for restrictions on eminent domain in carbon capture pipeline projects, a fight that pitted landowners against energy corporations seeking to run pipelines across private farmland. He also carried “right to repair” legislation that would give farmers the ability to fix their own equipment without manufacturer authorization, a direct challenge to companies like John Deere that lock repair access behind proprietary software.
Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann backed the pick, saying Wulf is someone “legislators regularly turn to for insight, leadership, and a conservative perspective” on agriculture. Lahn has also pledged to challenge what he calls “big ag cartels,” a position that aligns with Wulf’s record of opposing concentrated corporate power in farming.
The ticket will face Iowa voters in November 2026. Iowa has trended reliably Republican in recent cycles, but Lahn’s thin primary margin and the specific policy fights Wulf was chosen to represent, property rights, farmer autonomy, and rural economic concerns, suggest the campaign is targeting voters who feel left behind by both corporate consolidation and the incumbent political establishment.
What You Can Do Now
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Register to vote or check your registration at Iowa’s voter portal at sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterinformation/. Iowa’s voter registration deadline is 15 days before the November 2026 general election. Confirm your address is current now.
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Contact Lahn’s campaign directly at zachlahn.com and ask specific questions about his carbon capture pipeline and eminent domain positions. If you own or farm land in a pipeline corridor county, ask how his policy would apply to your situation.
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Call your Iowa state representative through the Iowa Legislature’s directory at legis.iowa.gov/lawmakers. Ask where they stand on right-to-repair protections for farm equipment and whether they supported or opposed Wulf’s legislation. Their vote record is public and searchable at legis.iowa.gov.
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Attend or watch the Iowa Republican State Convention proceedings (June 14, 2026). Conventions set party platforms. The platform adopted will reflect the governing priorities of a Lahn-Wulf administration if elected. Iowa PBS covers state political events at iowapbs.org.
Sources
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Derek Wulf Tapped as Zach Lahn Running Mate for 2026 Governor Race
Iowa Secretary of State: Voter Registration and Election Information
Iowa Legislature: Lawmaker Directory and Bill Search
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Zach Lahn Wins Republican Gubernatorial Primary Over Randy Feenstra
Iowa PBS: Iowa Republican State Convention Coverage