Robert Lee Vander Plaats (born April 12, 1963) is an American politician and political activist. Since 2010, he has been the president and CEO of The Family Leader, a social conservative organization in Iowa. Vander Plaats is active in Republican Party politics and has thrice run unsuccessfully for governor of Iowa. He was the party's candidate for lieutenant governor in 2006, though he and gubernatorial nominee Jim Nussle lost the general election.