SenateGovernorCompetitive

Open Seat Ernst retiring

Rating: Toss-up

Candidates: Ashley Hinson (R) vs Zach Wahls, Josh Turek, Nathan Sage (D)

Recent Polls(3 polls)Medium

DatePollsterGradeMarginSample
Apr 9, 2026Echelon Insights (R)A-D+0.6377
Mar 16, 2026GQR (D)R+2.21,200
Jan 11, 2026Change Research (D)C+R+1.81,108

Historical Context

2022 result
Chuck Grassley (R) R+26.5
2024 presidential (IA)
Trump (R) R+18.3
Model vs. last result
D+13.1 shift vs. last result

About this forecast

  • Structural forecast based on electoral type modeling across 99 counties.
  • Types are discovered from historical shift patterns — not from polls or demographics alone.
  • 3 race-specific polls have been incorporated via Bayesian update through the type covariance structure.

Last updated: Jan 10, 2026