The 2010 Iowa gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor, to serve a four-year term beginning on January 14, 2011. In Iowa, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket. Along with the election in Ohio, this was one of the two gubernatorial elections where the incumbent lost re-election.
The two major party candidates were first-term incumbent Governor Chet Culver, a Democrat, who ran for re-election with first-term incumbent lieutenant governor Patty Judge, and former four-term Governor Terry Branstad, who won a three-way primary for the Republican nomination and ran with State Senator Kim Reynolds.
Branstad defeated Culver in the general election, becoming the first challenger to unseat an incumbent Iowa governor since Harold Hughes in 1962.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Chet Culver, incumbent governor
Republican primary
Candidates
On ballot
As listed by the Iowa Secretary of State's office:
- Terry Branstad, former governor
- Rod Roberts, State Representative
- Bob Vander Plaats, businessman and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2006
Withdrew
- State Senator Jerry Behn withdrew from the race and endorsed Terry Branstad.
- Cedar Rapids businessman Christian Fong suspended his campaign due to a lack of campaign finances.
- State Senator Paul McKinley withdrew after Terry Branstad formed an exploratory committee.
- Minority Leader of the Iowa House of Representatives Christopher Rants withdrew from the race due to lack of campaign funds.
General election
Candidates
- Terry Branstad (R), former four-term governor; running with State Senator Kim Reynolds
- Eric Cooper (L), professor at Iowa State University, running with judicial administrator Nick Weltha
- Chet Culver (D), incumbent governor, running with incumbent lieutenant governor Patty Judge
- Jonathan Narcisse (Iowa Party), former member of the Des Moines school board, running with truck driver Rick Marlar. Narcisse is a Democrat and Marlar is a Republican. Narcisse's campaign and that of Senate District 45 candidate Douglas William Phillips were not affiliated, though both appeared on the ballot under the "Iowa Party" name.
- Gregory James Hughes (I), running with Robin Prior-Calef
- David Rosenfeld (SWP), running with Helen Meyers
Results
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Adams (largest city: Corning)
- Audubon (largest city: Audubon)
- Benton (largest city: Vinton)
- Emmet (largest city: Estherville)
- Greene (largest city: Jefferson)
- Hamilton (largest city: Webster City)
- Hardin (largest city: Iowa Falls)
- Iowa (largest city: Williamsburg)
- Kossuth (largest city: Algona)
- Palo Alto (largest city: Emmetsburg)
- Warren (largest city: Indianola)
- Winnebago (largest city: Forest City)
- Allamakee (largest city: Waukon)
- Boone (largest city: Boone)
- Bremer (largest city: Waverly)
- Buchanan (largest city: Independence)
- Cedar (largest city: Tipton)
- Cerro Gordo (largest city: Mason City)
- Chickasaw (largest city: New Hampton)
- Clarke (largest city: Osceola)
- Clayton (largest city: Guttenberg)
- Clinton (largest city: Clinton)
- Fayette (largest city: Oelwein)
- Floyd (largest city: Charles City)
- Howard (largest city: Cresco)
- Jackson (largest city: Maquoketa)
- Jasper (largest city: Newton)
- Jones (largest city: Anamosa)
- Louisa (largest city: Wapello)
- Marshall (largest city: Marshalltown)
- Mitchell (largest city: Osage)
- Muscatine (largest city: Muscatine)
- Poweshiek (largest city: Grinnell)
- Scott (largest city: Davenport)
- Tama (largest city: Tama)
- Union (largest city: Creston)
- Wapello (largest city: Ottumwa)
- Webster (largest city: Fort Dodge)
- Winneshiek (largest city: Decorah)
- Worth (largest city: Northwood)
- Appanoose (largest city: Centerville)
- Davis (largest city: Bloomfield)
- Decatur (largest city: Lamoni)
- Hancock (largest city: Garner)
- Henry (largest city: Mount Pleasant)
- Lucas (largest city: Chariton)
- Monona (largest city: Onawa)
- Monroe (largest city: Albia)
- Ringgold (largest city: Mount Ayr)
- Taylor (largest city: Bedford)
- Wayne (largest city: Corydon)
- Wright (largest city: Eagle Grove)
By congressional district
Branstad won four of five congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats.