Iowa Republicans pull an elephant float in the Solon Beef Days parade, July 16, 2021. — Malcolm MacDougall/Little VillageBy Paul Deaton, Solon

It is a commonplace of 2026 Iowa Democratic campaigns that candidates must appeal beyond party lines. With the registration numbers (only 527,675, or 29 percent, of Iowa’s 1,807,752 active registered voters are Democrats), winning non-Democratic votes is essential. My question is whether Republicans will actually vote for a Democrat.

It is one thing to attend an event hosted by a different party, yet another to pull the lever for that candidate. I attended Republican events when represented by one in the Iowa House. There was no better way to gain access to elected officials like him, his father, and U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley. I did what I needed to understand their positions. I didn’t vote for them in contested races.

State auditor and gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand has won two statewide elections and has credibility attracting crossover voters. However, we know some constituencies will not come to the Democratic camp.

In particular, the right-to-life movement will not vote for a candidate who supports a woman’s right to choose. A 2024 Des Moines Register poll found roughly 60 percent of voters favored legal access to abortion and opposed abortion bans like Iowa’s six-week restriction. Democrats are unlikely to win many of the 35 percent who opposed it.

So where will crossover votes come from? Campaign appearances across party lines are easy. Earning those votes will the real test. Do Josh Turek and Christina Bohannan have the same ability as Sand to attract them? Time will tell.