Iowa Republican Zach Lahn links Democrat Rob Sand to water pollution

Republican gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn has released a campaign advertisement linking Democratic opponent Rob Sand to water pollution and rising cancer rates in Iowa. The ad focuses on the Lauridsen Group Inc., a family-owned business connected to Sand through his wife, alleging that the company has been involved in polluting drinking water.

According to the advertisement, the Lauridsen family business has faced enforcement actions from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Specifically, AMPC LLC, operating as Essentia Protein Solutions, was issued an administrative consent order regarding violations documented in 2025. The department reported failures to report wastewater escaping from a lagoon and issued an $8,000 fine for illegal discharges of E. coli and ammonia into West Fork Camp Creek.

The campaign also highlights Sand’s financial ties, noting he has received nearly $13 million in campaign contributions from his wife and her family. This comes amid reports from the Iowa Cancer Registry projecting 21,700 new cancer diagnoses and 6,400 deaths in the state for 2026, noting that Iowa’s cancer rates are rising while national rates decrease.