2014 Iowa gubernatorial election

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. 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.

Declared

 * Terry Branstad, incumbent Governor
 * Tom Hoefling, political activist and America's Party and American Independent Party nominee for president in 2012

Democratic primary
Narcisse was disqualified from appearing on the ballot in the Democratic primary following a ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court 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. When he was unsuccessful, he announced that he would be running in the general election as the nominee of the Iowa Party.

Declared

 * Jack Hatch, state senator
 * Jonathan Narcisse, former member of the Des Moines School Board and Iowa Party nominee for governor in 2010

Withdrew

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

Declined

 * Frank Cownie, Mayor of Des Moines
 * Chet Culver, former governor
 * Jeff Danielson, state senator
 * Michael Fitzgerald, state treasurer
 * Michael Gronstal, majority leader of the Iowa Senate and chairman of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
 * Fred Hubbell, insurance executive
 * Pam Jochum, president of the Iowa Senate
 * 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
 * Janet Petersen, state senator
 * Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture and former governor

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


 * Jim Hennager (New Independent Party), administrator, former city councillor and Reform Party nominee for governor in 1998
 * Running mate: Mary Krieg


 * Lee Hieb (Libertarian), orthopedic surgeon
 * Running mate: Ryan Ketelsen, businessman


 * Jonathan Narcisse (Iowa Party), former member of the Des Moines School Board and nominee for governor in 2010
 * Running mate: Michael Richards, semi-retired businessman

Debates

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

Polling
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 * With Branstad


 * With Hoefling


 * With Reynolds

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 4 of the congressional districts, including one held by a Democrat.