Treasurer of State · Republican
Roby Smith — 2026 Iowa candidate research
Iowa Treasurer of State and former state senator. Smith defeated longtime Democratic treasurer Michael Fitzgerald in 2022 and is seeking reelection in 2026.
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Treasurer of State · unclaimed property / office performance · September 6, 2026
Smith says Great Iowa Treasure Hunt returned a record $38.2 million in FY2026; the reported totals support the record claim, while Money Match is a later initiative
The claim: Treasurer Roby Smith’s office says Great Iowa Treasure Hunt had its biggest fiscal year ever in FY2026, returning more than $38.2 million in cash and share value and beating the 2023 record by more than $8 million. Smith has also described the new Money Match program as part of his effort to modernize how the office returns unclaimed funds.
What is supported: The Treasurer’s Office reported more than $35.7 million in cash plus $2.4 million in share value, totaling more than $38.2 million, with 53,194 claims paid during FY2026. Independent Iowa reporting repeated those totals and described the year as a new program record. That supports the concrete $38.2 million and record-year claims.
Important timing/context: Money Match was announced August 14, after FY2026 had already ended. The new system uses secure Department of Revenue data to verify qualifying owners and automatically mail checks, but not every type of property qualifies. Money Match is therefore evidence of a later modernization initiative; it should not be presented as the cause of the already-completed FY2026 record.
IA Fact Check assessment: Supported on the record totals; attribution needs context. The $38.2 million FY2026 return figure and record status are supported by the office’s published figures and independent reporting. Smith led the office during the record year, but the outcome also reflects an established state program, staff, claimants and statutory unclaimed-property processes; the evidence does not assign every dollar of improvement personally to Smith.
Iowa Treasurer — Great Iowa Treasure Hunt news and FY2026 record · RadioOnTheGo — July 15 independent report on $38.2 million record · Iowa Treasurer — Aug. 14 Money Match launch and eligibility details
Public record and background
- Elected Iowa Treasurer of State in 2022.
- Previously served multiple terms in the Iowa Senate.
- Administers state treasury programs and financial functions through the Treasurer’s Office.
Fairness note
This profile separates documented actions and quotations from campaign interpretation. Where an opponent uses a political label, the label is presented as advocacy rather than converted into a factual finding unless the underlying evidence supports the narrower claim.
Primary and supporting sources
- Iowa Secretary of State — 2026 candidate list — Primary record — election
- Iowa Treasurer of State — official office — Primary record — state office
- Iowa Legislature — former Sen. Roby Smith — Primary record — legislature
- Iowa Public Radio — Norwood enters treasurer race — Independent reporting