Registration: 2,011,617.  Total voters: 1,334,279.
Plurality: 36,289 votes (2.73 percentage points).

Notes:  Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) won election in her own right, defeating Fred Hubbell (D) by 2.36 percentage points.  Reynolds, who had been serving as lieutenant governor, was sworn in as governor on May 24, 2017 after Gov. Terry Branstad (R) was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to China.

Reynolds was not challenged in the June 5 primary, while Democrats selected Fred Hubbell, a businessman and philanthropist who had served as president of Equitable of Iowa Companies, a life insurance company, from 1987-97, as their nominee.  Hubbell contributed nearly $3 million of his own money to his primary campaign.  State Sen. Nate Boulton had been running second, but was accused of sexual misconduct and suspended his campaign on May 24.  Hubbell obtained 55.6% followed by Cathy Glasson (20.5%), John Norris (11.5%), Andy McGuire (5.3%), Nate Boulton (5.1%) and Ross Wilburn (2.2%).

Hubbell announced state Sen. Rita Hart, who represents Clinton Co. and parts of Scott Co., as his running mate on June 16.  Reynolds had already named Iowa Public Defender Adam Gregg as acting lieutenant governor on May 25, 2017.

The Reynolds campaign succeeded in making an issue of Hubbell's refusal to release his tax returns; although he released partial information on Aug. 29, questions continued to come up on the matter.

Reynolds and Hubbell debated on Oct. 10 at DMACC in Ankeny, hosted by KCCI-TV and the Des Moines Register (>); on Oct. 17 in Eppley Auditorium at Morningside College in Sioux City, hosted by KTIV-TV (>); and on Oct. 21 at KQWC-TV studios in Davenport (>).

Reynolds carried 88 counties to 11 for Hubbell.

Campaign Managers:
Kim Reynolds:  Hooff Cooksey
(Mar. 2018)  Political director on Ed Gillespie for Governor (VA), Dec. 2016-Dec. 2017.  Executive director of  Arizonans for Strong Leadership, Gov. Doug Ducey's I.E. committee, Mar.-Dec. 2016.  Political director for Yes on Prop. 123 (Phoenix), Mar.-May 2016.  Deputy political director for voter contact/digital political manager at Jeb 2016, Inc., June 2015-Feb. 2016; political on Right to Rise PAC, Jan.-June 2015.  Statewide field director on Ed Gillespie for Senate, Jan.-Nov. 2014.  Political director, coalitions director (May-Dec. 2013) and regional political director (Dec. 2012-May 2013) on Mark Obenshain for Attorney General.  Field director in Arlington for Republican Party of Virginia-Romney for President, June-Nov. 2012.  B.S. in public relations from University of Texas at Austin, 2012.

note: Phil Valenziano served as campaign manager from June 2017-Feb. 2018, then left.  He was senior advisor to Lt. Gov. Reynolds from Apr. 2016-June 2017.

Fred Hubbell:  Michelle Gajewski
(Oct. 2017)  Campaign manager on Monica Vernon's 2016 run for Congress against Rod Blum in IA-1.  Campaign manager on Suzanne Patrick's run for Congress against Scott Rigell in VA-2.