The Money

Every itemized contribution and expenditure reported to the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board, side by side. ← Back to Candidates

Campaign finance

Where the money comes from

Itemized contributions and expenditures from Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board records, from each candidate's own campaign-announcement date onward: Lahn since November 6, 2025, Sand since May 12, 2025. The windows are different lengths on purpose — Sand has been running longer, and an unbounded pull of his committee's history would include years of activity as a sitting statewide officeholder unrelated to this race. Cash-on-hand and debt figures come from each committee's own periodic disclosure report and reflect a different, more recent snapshot — see the note on each card. Donor street addresses are intentionally excluded — city/state only. Browse every individual donation →

Next campaign finance report (October 19 Report, covering July 15 – October 14, 2026) is due October 19, 2026 by 4:30 PM. Source: Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board.

Zach Lahn (R)

$7,569,964

Total raised

15.8%

In-state share

84.2%

Out-of-state share

1125

Contributions

From family

$2,500,000

Self-funded (candidate's own loans)

Contributions reflected here span November 6, 2025 to July 14, 2026 (250 days).

$1,045,365

Cash on hand (as of July 20, 2026)

$2,794,684

Total debt (loans + unpaid bills)

Debt: $2,500,000 in outstanding loans and $294,684 in unpaid bills, per the same filing.

Cash-on-hand and debt figures are from the committee's own DR-2 disclosure report filed July 20, 2026 — a different source and reporting period than the itemized contributions above, not a running total of them.

Largest reported contributions (city/state only — no street addresses, matching the Ethics Board's own public disclosure)
Date	Name	City, state	Amount
July 10, 2026	#8681 RGA Right Direction PAC	Washington, DC	$1,000,000
June 26, 2026	#8681 RGA Right Direction PAC	Washington, DC	$1,000,000
June 12, 2026	#8681 RGA Right Direction PAC	Washington, DC	$1,000,000
June 5, 2026	#8681 RGA Right Direction PAC	Washington, DC	$1,000,000
July 2, 2026	#8681 RGA Right Direction PAC	Washington, DC	$500,000

PACs and committees, over the window above
PAC / committee	Total	Contributions
#8681 RGA Right Direction PAC	$5,000,000	6
#9161 Republican Party of Iowa	$130,000	1

Where the money went

$9,024,599

Total spent

58.6%

In-state spend

41.4%

Out-of-state spend

936

Payments

Expenditures reflected here span November 6, 2025 to July 14, 2026.

Largest vendors, over the window above
Vendor	City, state	Amount	Payments
NMRPP, LLC dba American Media & Advocacy Group	IOWA CITY, IA	$4,527,264	6
Cerberus	BALTIMORE, MD	$2,824,939	23
Second Wind Creative, Inc.	Lawrence, KS	$151,023	2
Storytellers Group Llc	Gallatin, TN	$116,156	5
1892, Llc	Gallatin, TN	$84,831	2
Steve Cook Sound	WEST DES MOINES, IA	$81,404	3
Outlaw Media, LLC	ALEXANDRIA, VA	$63,605	3
Pantlind Strategies 1	ROCKFORD, MI	$60,000	5
Stratak LLC	WASHINGTON, IA	$55,000	10
Elijah Bluhm	OSAGE, IA	$49,573	18

Source: Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board. Committee: #SWGA51409 Lahn for Governor.

Rob Sand (D)

$28,420,504

Total raised

60.9%

In-state share

39.1%

Out-of-state share

196279

Contributions

$4,019,000

From family (In-law, Wife)

Self-funded (candidate's own loans)

Contributions from family
Date	Name	Relationship	Amount
April 20, 2026	Nixon Lauridsen	In-law	$1,419,000
March 24, 2026	Christine L. Sand	Wife	$1,000,000
April 17, 2026	Nixon Lauridsen	In-law	$600,000
February 24, 2026	Augustine Lauridsen	In-law	$500,000
April 20, 2026	Christine L. Sand	Wife	$300,000
May 4, 2026	Christine L. Sand	Wife	$200,000

Contributions reflected here span May 12, 2025 to July 14, 2026 (428 days).

$17,957,959

Cash on hand (as of July 20, 2026)

Total debt (loans + unpaid bills)

Largest reported contributions (city/state only — no street addresses, matching the Ethics Board's own public disclosure)
Date	Name	City, state	Amount
July 13, 2026	#8583 Democratic Governors Association	Washington, DC	$2,500,000
April 20, 2026	Nixon Lauridsen	Ankeny, IA	$1,419,000
March 24, 2026	Christine L. Sand	Des Moines, IA	$1,000,000
April 10, 2026	Nicholas C. Rowley	Decorah, IA	$830,000
April 17, 2026	Nixon Lauridsen	Ankeny, IA	$600,000

PACs and committees, over the window above
PAC / committee	Total	Contributions
#8583 Democratic Governors Association	$2,500,000	1
#6086 Iowa State Education Assn. PAC or ISEA PAC	$400,000	1
#8026 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC IBEW	$313,000	4
#8019 AFSCME PEOPLE	$300,000	1
#8058 NEA Fund for Children and Public Education Non-Federal Itemi	$200,000	1
#6089 Operating Engineers Local 234 Political Fund	$125,000	4
#8038 United Food & Commercial Workers Active Ballot Club	$110,000	3
#8344 Midwest Region Laborers Political Education League	$100,000	1
#OSF51431 UA Union Plumbers & Pipefitters Vote! PAC	$50,000	1
#OSF50348 Way Back PAC	$50,000	2
#8759 SEIU Healthcare Minn	$50,000	1
#8097 Sheet Metal Workers International Association	$30,000	1
#6017 Central Iowa Building and Construction Trades CouncilPAC	$25,000	3
#8632 North Central States Carpenter PAC	$20,000	1
#9672 Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 125 Political Education Fund	$10,000	2
#6334 Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union #33	$10,000	1
#6085 Iowa State Building & Trades Council PEC	$10,000	1
#8328 United Steelworkers District 11 Non-Federal Account	$10,000	1
#8738 The Majority Rules PAC	$10,000	1
#8182 Omaha & Southwest Iowa Building & Construction Trades Counc	$10,000	1
#8795 MID-AMERICA CARPENTERS REGIONAL COUNCIL PAC	$10,000	1
#6148 Iron Workers Local 67 PAC	$9,000	4
#6084 Iowa State U.A.W. PAC	$6,000	1
#OSF51443 Latino Leaders for Equality Growth Opportunity Prog Action	$5,000	1
#9680 Cedar Rapids Trades Council CR IC Building Trades PAC	$5,000	1
#8131 Machinists Non-Partisan Political League	$5,000	1
#OSF50310 End Citizens United	$5,000	1
#6432 Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union #25 PAC	$5,000	1
#8137 Iron Workers Local Union 21- Legislative Fund	$3,500	2
#9699 United Union of Roofers Pol Ed and Leg Fund of Iowa	$2,500	1
#8096 Plumbers Local Union No.16 Cope Fund	$2,500	1
#8339 Steamfitters & Plumbers L.U. 464 COPE Fund	$2,500	1
#9670 IRONWORKERS LOCAL #89 POLITICAL EDUCATION FUND	$1,000	1
#8262 Bridge Structural & Ornamental Ironworkers Local 111 PAC	$800	1
#LOCL50407 The Iowa We Want	$718	1
#8228 Communications Workers of America-COPE (CWA)	$500	1
#9159 Poweshiek County Democratic Central Committee	$500	1
#9018 Buchanan County Democratic Central Committee	$500	1
#9139 Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee	$500	1
#9092 Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee	$500	1
#9935 Clive Democrats	$200	1

Where the money went

$18,320,511

Total spent

20.2%

In-state spend

79.8%

Out-of-state spend

2839

Payments

Expenditures reflected here span May 12, 2025 to July 14, 2026.

Largest vendors, over the window above
Vendor	City, state	Amount	Payments
Break Something	Washington, DC	$6,271,851	141
Canal Partners Media	Atlanta, GA	$5,087,909	13
#9098 Iowa Democratic Party	Des Moines, IA	$1,502,000	13
United States Treasury	Ogden, UT	$559,560	69
FDM Connects LLC	Santa Monica, CA	$545,116	21
Agency	Des Moines, IA	$384,336	54
Global Strategy Group LLC	New York, NY	$324,246	9
ActBlue	West Somerville, MA	$312,773	73
Path to Victory	Madison, WI	$279,801	43
Three Point Media	Washington, DC	$246,957	2

Source: Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board. Committee: #5185 Rob Sand for Iowa.