2014 Iowa gubernatorial election

See also: 2014 United States gubernatorial elections

The 2014 Iowa gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014. Republican incumbent Terry Branstad ran for reelection to a sixth overall and second consecutive four-year term.^[1] Branstad went on to win a historic sixth term as governor by defeating Democratic challenger and State Senator Jack Hatch, and on December 14, 2015, he became the longest-serving governor in American history. He won 59.1% of the popular vote to Hatch's 37.3%, and carried every county in the state except Johnson, home to Iowa City and the University of Iowa. This was one of the nine Republican-held governorships up for election in a state that Barack Obama won in the 2012 presidential election.

2014 Iowa gubernatorial election

← 2010 November 4, 2014 2018 →

Nominee Terry Branstad Jack Hatch Party Republican Democratic Running mate Kim Reynolds Monica Vernon Popular vote 666,032 420,787 Percentage 58.99% 37.27%

County results Congressional district results Precinct results Branstad:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Hatch:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Tie:      40–50%

Governor before election Terry Branstad Republican Elected Governor Terry Branstad Republican

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Terry Branstad, incumbent Governor^[1]
• Tom Hoefling, political activist and America's Party and American Independent Party nominee for president in 2012^[2]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Terry Branstad	Tom Hoefling	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[3]	May 15–19, 2014	303	± 3.3%	66%	12%	22%
Loras College[4]	April 7–8, 2014	600	± 4.0%	80%	4%	14%
Suffolk University[5]	April 3–8, 2014	224	± 6.6%	70%	9%	21%
Public Policy Polling[6]	February 20–23, 2014	283	± 5.8%	70%	11%	18%

Results

Republican primary results^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Terry Branstad (incumbent)	129,712	83.00
	Republican	Tom Hoefling	26,284	16.82
	Republican	Write-In	279	0.18
Total votes			156,275	100

Democratic primary

Narcisse was disqualified from appearing on the ballot in the Democratic primary following a ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court^[8] that upheld a lower court decision that held that Narcisse had not submitted enough valid signatures to be placed on the ballot for the primary election. Narcisse continued his campaign and declared his intention to run for the nomination as a write-in candidate.^[9] When he was unsuccessful, he announced that he would be running in the general election as the nominee of the Iowa Party.^[10][11]

Candidates

Declared

• Jack Hatch, state senator^[12]
• Jonathan Narcisse, former member of the Des Moines School Board and Iowa Party nominee for governor in 2010^[13]

Withdrew

• Paul Dahl, bus driver, retail sales associate, former librarian and candidate for Iowa's 5th congressional district in 1994^[14]
• Tyler Olson, state representative and former chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party^[15]

Declined

• Frank Cownie, Mayor of Des Moines^[16]
• Chet Culver, former governor^[17]
• Jeff Danielson, state senator^[18]
• Michael Fitzgerald, state treasurer^[19]
• Michael Gronstal, majority leader of the Iowa Senate and chairman of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee^[20]
• Fred Hubbell, insurance executive^[16][21]
• Pam Jochum, president of the Iowa Senate^[20]
• Bob Krause, former state representative, nominee for state treasurer in 1978, candidate for Mayor of Waterloo in 1982 and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010^[22]
• Janet Petersen, state senator^[23]
• Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture and former governor^[24]

Endorsements

Jack Hatch

• Ako Abdul-Samad, state representative^[25]
• Marti Anderson, state representative^[25]
• Dennis Black, state senator^[26]
• Leonard Boswell, former U.S. Representative^[26]
• Joe Bolkcom, state senator^[25]
• Thomas G. Courtney, state senator^[25]
• Preston Daniels, former mayor of Des Moines^[25]
• Dick Dearden, state senator^[26]
• John Forbes, state representative^[26]
• Ruth Ann Gaines, state representative^[26]
• Fred Hubbell, insurance executive^[21]
• Bruce Hunter, state representative^[25]
• Bob Krause, former state representative, nominee for state treasurer in 1978, candidate for Mayor of Waterloo in 1982 and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010^[22]
• Matt McCoy, state senator^[27]
• Steve Sodders, state senator^[26]
• Joe Seng, state senator^[26]
• Rich Taylor, state senator^[26]
• Frank Wood, state representative^[26]

Tyler Olson

Individuals

• Bruce Bearinger, state representative^[25]
• Dennis Cohoon, state representative^[25]
• Jeff Danielson, state senator^[25][28]
• David Dawson, state representative^[25]
• Nancy Dunkel, state representative^[25]
• Bob Dvorsky, state senator^[25][29]
• Sue Dvorsky, former chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party^[30]
• Chris Hall, state representative^[25]
• Rob Hogg, state senator^[25][31]
• Wally Horn, state senator^[25]
• David Jacoby, state representative^[25]
• Jerry Kearns, state representative^[25]
• Dan Kelley, state representative^[32]
• Liz Mathis, state senator^[25]
• Helen Miller, state representative^[25]
• Dan Muhlbauer, state representative^[25]
• Jo Oldson, state representative^[25]
• Rick Olson, state representative^[25]
• Scott Ourth, state representative^[25]
• Janet Petersen, state senator^[25][31][33]
• Todd Prichard, state representative^[25]
• Joe Riding, state representative^[25]
• Patti Ruff, state representative^[25]
• Kirsten Running-Marquardt, state representative^[25]
• Brian Schoenjahn, state senator^[25]
• Art Staed, state representative^[25]
• Sharon S. Steckman, state representative^[25][31]
• Sally Stutsman, state representative^[25]
• Todd Taylor, state representative^[25]
• Roger Thomas, state representative^[25]
• Mary Wolfe, state representative^[25]

Organizations

• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 61^[34]
• Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Local 110^[35]

Results

Democratic primary results^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jack Hatch	60,404	99.26
	Democratic	Write-in	448	0.74
Total votes			60,852	100

General election

Candidates

• Terry Branstad (Republican), incumbent governor

• Running mate: Kim Reynolds, incumbent lieutenant governor

• Jack Hatch (Democratic), state senator

• Running mate: Monica Vernon, Cedar Rapids City Councilwoman^[36]

• Jim Hennager (New Independent Party), administrator, former city councillor and Reform Party nominee for governor in 1998^[37]

• Running mate: Mary Krieg

• Lee Hieb (Libertarian), orthopedic surgeon^[38]

• Running mate: Ryan Ketelsen, businessman^[38]

• Jonathan Narcisse (Iowa Party), former member of the Des Moines School Board and nominee for governor in 2010^[10][11][13]

• Running mate: Michael Richards, semi-retired businessman^[39]

Debates

• Complete video of debate, September 20, 2014 - C-SPAN

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[40]	Likely R	November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[41]	Safe R	November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[42]	Safe R	November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[43]	Safe R	November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Terry Branstad (R)	Jack Hatch (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[44]	November 1–3, 2014	1,265	± 2.8%	51%	40%	5%[45]	5%
				54%	43%	—	4%
Quinnipiac University[46]	October 28–November 2, 2014	778	± 3.5%	52%	41%	2%	6%
Iowa Poll[47]	October 28–31, 2014	701	± 3.7%	59%	35%	2%	4%
YouGov[48]	October 25–31, 2014	1,112	± 4.4%	49%	35%	4%	13%
Fox News[49]	October 28–30, 2014	911	± 3%	53%	36%	5%	6%
Reuters/Ipsos[50]	October 23–29, 2014	1,129	± 3.3%	57%	34%	4%	5%
Quinnipiac[51]	October 22–27, 2014	817	± 3.4%	56%	37%	2%	5%
Loras College[52]	October 21–24, 2014	1,121	± 2.93%	55%	34%	2%	9%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[53]	October 16–23, 2014	2,322	± 3%	50%	37%	0%	13%
NBC News/Marist[54]	October 18–22, 2014	772 LV	± 3.5%	59%	36%	2%	4%
		1,052 RV	± 3%	58%	34%	2%	6%
Gravis Marketing[55]	October 20–21, 2014	964	± 3%	53%	43%	—	4%
Monmouth University[56]	October 18–21, 2014	423	± 4.8%	58%	37%	3%	2%
Quinnipiac University[57]	October 15–21, 2014	964	± 3.2%	55%	37%	2%	5%
Suffolk University[58]	October 11–14, 2014	500	± 4.4%	54%	37%	3%[59]	7%
Quinnipiac University[60]	October 8–13, 2014	967	± 3.2%	54%	39%	1%	6%
The Iowa Poll[61]	October 3–8, 2014	1,000	± 3.1%	54%	39%	—	4%
Magellan[62]	October 3, 2014	1,299	± 2.8%	55%	39%	—	7%
NBC News/Marist[63]	September 27–October 1, 2014	778 LV	± 3.5%	58%	36%	1%	5%
		1,093 RV	± 3%	58%	35%	1%	6%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[64]	September 20–October 1, 2014	2,359	± 2%	52%	39%	0%	9%
Gravis Marketing[65]	September 29–30, 2014	522	± 4%	51%	43%	—	6%
Public Policy Polling[66]	September 25–28, 2014	1,192	± 2.8%	50%	36%	4%[67]	9%
				52%	38%	—	10%
Iowa Poll[68]	September 21–24, 2014	546	± 4.2%	48%	34%	6%[69]	12%
Rasmussen Reports[70]	September 17–18, 2014	750	± 4%	46%	40%	3%	10%
FOX News[71]	September 14–16, 2014	600	± 4%	50%	37%	4%	8%
Quinnipiac[72]	September 10–15, 2014	1,167	± 2.9%	60%	37%	1%	3%
Loras College[73]	September 2–5, 2014	1,200	± 2.82%	56%	34%	—	11%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[74]	August 18–September 2, 2014	1,764	± 3%	51%	38%	1%	10%
Suffolk[75]	August 23–26, 2014	500	± 4%	47%	35%	2%[76]	16%
Public Policy Polling[77]	August 22–24, 2014	915	± 3.2%	48%	35%	5%[45]	12%
				50%	37%	—	13%
Rasmussen Reports[70]	August 11–12, 2014	750	± 4%	52%	35%	6%	7%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[78]	July 5–24, 2014	2,044	± 2.7%	51%	40%	1%	8%
Gravis Marketing[79]	July 17–18, 2014	1,179	± 3%	50%	42%	—	9%
NBC News/Marist[80]	July 7–13, 2014	1,599	± 2.5%	53%	38%	1%	9%
Quinnipiac[81]	June 12–16, 2014	1,277	± 2.7%	47%	38%	1%	14%
Vox Populi Polling[82]	June 4–5, 2014	665	± 3.8%	51%	40%	—	9%
Loras College[83]	June 4–5, 2014	600	± 4%	52%	38%	—	11%
Rasmussen Reports[70]	June 4–5, 2014	750	± 4%	49%	40%	2%	8%
Global Strategy Group[84]	May 13–15, 2014	602	± 4%	47%	40%	—	13%
Public Policy Polling[3]	May 15–19, 2014	914	± 3.3%	48%	40%	—	12%
Victory Enterprises[85]	April 30–May 1, 2014	400	± 4.9%	48%	33%	—	20%
Hickman Analytics[86]	April 24–30	500	± 4.4%	50%	40%	—	10%
Vox Populi Polling[87]	April 22–24, 2014	600	± 4%	45%	43%	—	12%
Public Policy Polling[88]	April 19–20, 2014	677	± 3.8%	43%	38%	—	19%
Suffolk University[89]	April 3–8, 2014	800	± 3.5%	42%	32%	2%[90]	24%
Quinnipiac[91]	March 5–10, 2014	1,411	± 2.6%	46%	35%	1%	17%
Selzer & Co.[92]	February 23–26, 2014	703	± 3.7%	44%	29%	—	27%
Public Policy Polling[6]	February 20–23, 2014	869	± 3.3%	48%	36%	—	15%
Quinnipiac[93]	December 10–15, 2013	1,617	± 2.4%	49%	33%	1%	17%
Selzer & Co.[94]	December 8–11, 2013	325	± ?%	52%	29%	8%	11%
Public Policy Polling[95]	July 5–7, 2013	668	± 3.8%	47%	35%	—	18%
Selzer & Co.[96]	June 2–5, 2013	591	± 4%	55%	27%	9%	9%
Public Policy Polling[97]	February 1–3, 2013	846	± %	48%	33%	—	19%

Hypothetical polling

} With Branstad

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Terry Branstad (R)	Bruce Braley (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[97]	February 1–3, 2013	846	± %	47%	41%	—	11%
Public Policy Polling[98]	May 3–6, 2012	1,181	± 2.85%	44%	40%	—	16%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Terry Branstad (R)	Chet Culver (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[95]	July 5–7, 2013	668	± 3.8%	47%	42%	—	11%
Public Policy Polling[97]	February 1–3, 2013	846	± %	50%	40%	—	10%
Public Policy Polling[98]	May 3–6, 2012	1,181	± 2.85%	44%	42%	—	14%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Terry Branstad (R)	Michael Gronstal (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[95]	July 5–7, 2013	668	± 3.8%	50%	36%	—	14%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Terry Branstad (R)	Bob Krause (D)	Other	Undecided
Quinnipiac[93]	December 10–15, 2013	1,617	± 2.4%	49%	31%	1%	19%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Terry Branstad (R)	Dave Loebsack (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[97]	February 1–3, 2013	846	± %	48%	38%	—	14%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Terry Branstad (R)	Tyler Olson (D)	Other	Undecided
Quinnipiac[93]	December 10–15, 2013	1,617	± 2.4%	50%	32%	1%	17%
Selzer & Co.[94]	December 8–11, 2013	325	± ?%	51%	28%	8%	13%
Public Policy Polling[95]	July 5–7, 2013	668	± 3.8%	47%	33%	—	20%
Public Policy Polling[97]	February 1–3, 2013	846	± %	47%	31%	—	22%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Terry Branstad (R)	Tom Vilsack (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[97]	February 1–3, 2013	846	± %	47%	46%	—	8%
Public Policy Polling[98]	May 3–6, 2012	1,181	± 2.85%	43%	46%	—	11%

With Hoefling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Tom Hoefling (R)	Jack Hatch (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[3]	May 15–19, 2014	914	± 3.3%	30%	37%	—	33%
Suffolk University[99]	April 3–8, 2014	800	± 3.5%	23%	35%	3%[90]	39%
Public Policy Polling[6]	February 20–23, 2014	869	± 3.3%	30%	34%	—	36%

With Reynolds

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Kim Reynolds (R)	Chet Culver (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[95]	July 5–7, 2013	668	± 3.8%	38%	42%	—	20%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Kim Reynolds (R)	Michael Gronstal (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[95]	July 5–7, 2013	668	± 3.8%	37%	37%	—	26%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Kim Reynolds (R)	Jack Hatch (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[95]	July 5–7, 2013	668	± 3.8%	36%	33%	—	30%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Kim Reynolds (R)	Tyler Olson (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[95]	July 5–7, 2013	668	± 3.8%	36%	32%	—	32%

Results

2014 Iowa gubernatorial election^[100]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Terry Branstad (incumbent) / Kim Reynolds (incumbent)	666,032	58.99%	+6.18%
	Democratic	Jack Hatch / Monica Vernon	420,787	37.27%	−5.94%
	Libertarian	Lee Deakins Hieb / Tim Watson	20,321	1.80%	+0.52%
	New Independent Party Iowa	Jim Hennager / Mary Margaret Krieg	10,582	0.94%	N/A
	Iowa	Jonathan R. Narcisse / Michael L. Richards	10,240	0.91%	−0.95%
	n/a	Write-ins	1,095	0.09%	n/a
Total votes			1,129,057	100.00%	n/a
	Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Black Hawk (largest city: Waterloo)
• Des Moines (largest city: Burlington)
• Dubuque (largest city: Dubuque)
• Floyd (largest city: Charles City)
• Jefferson (largest city: Fairfield)
• Lee (largest city: Fort Madison)
• Linn (Largest city: Cedar Rapids)
• Story (Largest city: Ames)

By congressional district

Branstad won all four congressional districts, including one held by a Democrat.^[101]

District	Branstad	Hatch	Representative
1st	55.95%	40.98%	Rod Blum
2nd	56.66%	39.85%	Dave Loebsack
3rd	56.55%	38.79%	David Young
4th	67.25%	29.39%	Steve King