Recent polling averages show Democrat Rob Sand leading Republican Zach Lahn by roughly 5 to 7 points in the open-seat Iowa governor race, with the most recent surveys from mid-October reinforcing this margin ahead of the November 3 election. The retirement of incumbent Republican Kim Reynolds has created a favorable environment for the Democratic state auditor, who also holds a significant cash-on-hand advantage from record fundraising. Prediction market pricing reflects traders' assessment of these fundamentals, including Sand's path through Iowa's electorate and Lahn's more limited polling support following his primary victory. No major developments in the past week have shifted the race trajectory.