Republican misfires with bogus attack ad on opponent's wealth — who's worth 10 times less

MAGA businessman Zach Lahn is out with a new TV spot hitting at his Democratic rival for governor of Iowa, state auditor Rob Sand. But a major detail of his ad was completely false.

"On our farm here in Belle Plain, we see it every day. Gas, groceries, everything's expensive. Iowa families are hurting," said Lahn. "But Rob Sand wants to raise your taxes by $7,500 a year. You can look it up. He is a billionaire. He doesn't get what regular folks go through."

Rob Sand is far from a billionaire; as political commentator Christopher Hale noted, Lahn's net worth is roughly 10 times that of Sand's.

There is a billionaire named Robert Sands, who co-owns the Constellation Brands import company, but there is no relation between Rob Sand and Robert Sands.

Democrats have suffered a long string of setbacks in Iowa; President Donald Trump has won the state's electors three times in a row, and the GOP has beat back Democratic officeholders and office-seekers in the vast majority of major races over the last decade.

However, the Iowa gubernatorial race has attracted intense national attention, as Sand, the only current Democrat to hold statewide Iowa office, makes a well-funded and competitive bid for the top position. The respected Cook Political Report concluded Sand is currently the favorite to win after a series of polls showing him ahead.