Republican state Treasurer Roby Smith will seek a second term in 2026, he announced Dec. 2, pledging to continue the stability of Iowa’s public investments and improve fiscal transparency.
Smith narrowly defeated longtime Democratic Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald in 2022, becoming the first Republican to hold the office in 40 years.
“Since Iowans elected me in 2022, I’ve worked to ensure our state is putting its best foot forward fiscally and fought to prioritize fiscal responsibility for the state’s investments,” Smith said in a statement. “Even with this, there’s more work to be done, and I’m running for re-election because Iowans deserve a State Treasurer who will continue to prioritize these issues and ensure taxpayers have a steward who works to make families and businesses thrive no matter the ZIP code or county.”
Smith of Davenport is a former banker who worked at U.S. Bank and served on the local U.S. Bank Board. He holds a business administration degree from Concordia University.
Before he was elected treasurer, Smith served 12 years in the Iowa Senate where he represented Bettendorf and parts of Davenport. In the Senate, he chaired the State Government Committee and served on the Ways and Means and Commerce committees.
The state treasurer acts as the state’s banker, overseeing state funds and pension investments, including serving on the investment board for the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS). The treasurer also oversees the state’s 529 college savings plan and the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt, an initiative that helps Iowans recover assets turned over to the treasurer’s office as abandoned assets.
Smith announced in September that Iowa’s public funds had surpassed $1 billion in earnings during his time in office.
No Democrats have announced their candidacy for the treasurer’s office.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: GOP Iowa state Treasurer Roby Smith is running for reelection in 2026
Reporting by Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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