# 2006 Iowa gubernatorial election

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The 2006 Iowa gubernatorial election took place November 7, 2006. The incumbent governor, Tom Vilsack, a Democrat, had served two terms and decided not to seek a third term. In the election, Chet Culver defeated Jim Nussle to win the governorship, by a margin of 54% to 44%.
As of 2022, this was the last time a Democrat won the governorship of Iowa. This election marks the first time Democrats won three consecutive gubernatorial elections in the state since 1966, and the only time Democrats have ever done so for four-year terms.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Won primary

* Chet Culver, Iowa Secretary of State (1999–present), son of former United States Senator John Culver
** Running mate: Patty Judge, Secretary of Agriculture of Iowa (1999–present) and former State Senator

#### Defeated in primary

* Mike Blouin, former director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development (2003–2005), former U.S. Representative for IA-02 (1975–1979), and 1st director of the Information Security Oversight Office (1979–1980)
** Running mate: Andrea McGuire, physician
* Ed Fallon, Iowa State Representative (1993–present)
* Sal Mohamed, engineer and 2004 Democratic candidate for Congress

#### Declined to run

* Sally Pederson, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa (1999–present)

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chet Culver | 58,131 | 39.08 |
| | Democratic | Mike Blouin | 50,728 | 34.10 |
| | Democratic | Ed Fallon | 38,253 | 25.72 |
| | Democratic | Sal Mohamed | 1,545 | 1.04 |
| | Democratic | Write-ins | 94 | 0.06 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 148,751 | 100 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Jim Nussle, U.S. Representative
Withdrew
* Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The Family Leader, to become Nussle's running-mate for the general election

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Nussle | 73,975 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 73,975 | 100 |

## Independents
### Green

* Wendy Barth, peace activist and software engineer from Cedar Rapids

### Libertarian

* Kevin Litten, pharmacist from Cedar Rapids

## General election

The Democratic nominee, Iowa Secretary of State Chet Culver, selected Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge as his running mate. Judge had previously run for the Democratic nomination for Governor before dropping out to run for Lieutenant Governor. The Republican nominee, U.S. Congressman Jim Nussle, selected Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats as his running mate. Vander Plaats, like Judge, had previously run for his party's nomination before dropping out to run for Lieutenant Governor.

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Tossup | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean D | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Lean D | November 2, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics | Lean D | November 6, 2006 |

### Polling

| Source | Date | Chet Culver (D) | Jim Nussle (R) |
| Des Moines Register | November 3, 2006 | 52% | 43% |
| Rasmussen | October 27, 2006 | 49% | 45% |
| Research 2000 | October 17, 2006 | 49% | 44% |
| Des Moines Register | October 14, 2006 | 46% | 39% |
| Rasmussen | October 5, 2006 | 42% | 42% |
| Des Moines Register | September 17, 2006 | 44% | 44% |
| Research 2000 | September 14, 2006 | 48% | 43% |
| Zogby/WSJ | September 11, 2006 | 43% | 46% |
| Rasmussen | September 1, 2006 | 42% | 40% |
| Zogby/WSJ | August 28, 2006 | 48% | 45% |
| Rasmussen | August 3, 2006 | 41% | 38% |
| Zogby/WSJ | July 24, 2006 | 45% | 47% |
| Zogby/WSJ | June 21, 2006 | 46% | 47% |
| Research 2000 | May 22–24, 2006 | 49% | 41% |
| Rasmussen | May 2, 2006 | 46% | 40% |
| Rasmussen | April 5, 2006 | 40% | 38% |
| Rasmussen | February 15, 2006 | 41% | 40% |
| Rasmussen | January 12, 2006 | 40% | 40% |
| Rasmussen | November 28, 2005 | 41% | 38% |

### Endorsements
#### Individuals

* Wesley Clark, General, 2004 democratic presidential candidate

### Results

Iowa gubernatorial election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Chet Culver | 569,021 | 54.02% | +1.33% |
| | Republican | Jim Nussle | 467,425 | 44.38% | −0.13% |
| | Green | Wendy Barth | 7,850 | 0.75% | −0.68% |
| | Libertarian | Kevin Litten | 5,735 | 0.54% | −0.74% |
| | Socialist Workers | Mary Martin | 1,974 | 0.19% | |
| | Write-ins | | 1,250 | 0.12% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 101,596 | 9.65% | +1.48% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,053,255 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | | |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Audubon (Largest city: Audubon)
* Carroll (Largest city: Carroll)
* Cherokee (Largest city: Cherokee)
* Dallas (Largest city: Waukee)
* Delaware (Largest city: Manchester)
* Guthrie (Largest city: Guthrie Center)
* Greene (largest city: Jefferson)
* Monona (Largest city: Onawa)

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Allamakee (Largest city: Waukon)
* Hancock (Largest city: Garner)
* Iowa (Largest city: Williamsburg)
* Jefferson (Largest city: Fairfield)
* Madison (Largest city: Winterset)
* Winneshiek (Largest city: Decorah)
* Woodbury (Largest city: Sioux City)
* Louisa (largest city: Wapello)
* Sac (largest city: Sac City)
* Calhoun (Largest city: Rockwell City)

### By congressional district

Culver won four of five congressional districts, including one that elected a Republican.
| District | Culver | Nussle | Representative |
| 1st | 58% | 41% | Jim Nussle (109th Congress) |
| 1st | 58% | 41% | Bruce Braley (110th Congress) |
| 2nd | 60% | 38% | Jim Leach (109th Congress) |
| 2nd | 60% | 38% | Dave Loebsack (110th Congress) |
| 3rd | 54% | 44% | Leonard Boswell |
| 4th | 54% | 45% | Tom Latham |
| 5th | 43% | 55% | Steve King |