More than 2,000 Iowans participated in the straw poll at the Iowa Secretary of State’s booth during the Iowa State Fair, with voters from both parties selecting favorites in the 2026 races for governor, U.S. Senate, and Congress. However, KCCI’s political analyst Dennis Goldford emphasized that the results do not represent Iowa voters as a whole.”It’s a kind of parlor game,” Goldford said.He added that the straw poll is not scientific.”In a scientific poll, the sample of people who are asked questions is a random bunch of people,” he said. “This means that everybody has an equal chance at stating an opinion.”» See all of our Iowa State Fair coverage here.He said the fair survey does not operate in this manner.”It’s more like a campaign event than a strictly speaking accurate measure of where popular sentiment is at a particular time,” Goldford said. Goldford noted that the results can energize candidates and their supporters.”It can excite supporters of a particular candidate who might think, although erroneously based upon this event, they might think, hey, maybe we do have a shot at this. Let’s redouble our efforts and work hard for a candidate,” Goldford said. However, he cautioned that this excitement does not equate to predicting future outcomes.”As a measure of where public opinion is in general, on a particular issue, no, this doesn’t count as that,” Goldford said.Goldford said, while the survey doesn’t show which candidates are leading, he said it can have value in encouraging civic participation.”To the extent that a little event like this, just for fun, can encourage people to think about voting at all, that’s a help,” he said. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, who administered the poll, said that while it has been a good indicator of where Iowa voters stand in the past, it is not scientific. He emphasized that the real goal is to encourage Iowans to participate in the election process.Iowa’s next election is scheduled for Nov. 4, with city and school races on the ballot.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
More than 2,000 Iowans participated in the straw poll at the Iowa Secretary of State’s booth during the Iowa State Fair, with voters from both parties selecting favorites in the 2026 races for governor, U.S. Senate, and Congress. However, KCCI’s political analyst Dennis Goldford emphasized that the results do not represent Iowa voters as a whole.
“It’s a kind of parlor game,” Goldford said.
He added that the straw poll is not scientific.
“In a scientific poll, the sample of people who are asked questions is a random bunch of people,” he said. “This means that everybody has an equal chance at stating an opinion.”
» See all of our Iowa State Fair coverage here.
He said the fair survey does not operate in this manner.
“It’s more like a campaign event than a strictly speaking accurate measure of where popular sentiment is at a particular time,” Goldford said.
Goldford noted that the results can energize candidates and their supporters.
“It can excite supporters of a particular candidate who might think, although erroneously based upon this event, they might think, hey, maybe we do have a shot at this. Let’s redouble our efforts and work hard for a candidate,” Goldford said.
However, he cautioned that this excitement does not equate to predicting future outcomes.
“As a measure of where public opinion is in general, on a particular issue, no, this doesn’t count as that,” Goldford said.
Goldford said, while the survey doesn’t show which candidates are leading, he said it can have value in encouraging civic participation.
“To the extent that a little event like this, just for fun, can encourage people to think about voting at all, that’s a help,” he said.
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, who administered the poll, said that while it has been a good indicator of where Iowa voters stand in the past, it is not scientific. He emphasized that the real goal is to encourage Iowans to participate in the election process.
Iowa’s next election is scheduled for Nov. 4, with city and school races on the ballot.
» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page
» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play