Day One of Rob Sand’s “One Year, One Iowa” Tour Focuses on Iowa Workers

DES MOINES, IA – Yesterday, candidate for governor Rob Sand kicked off his “One Year, One Iowa” tour across the state in Eastern Iowa, marking one year until Election Day 2026 and taking all that he learned on the road as part of his 100 Town Hall Tour to the communities directly impacted. Yesterday’s events included a roundtable discussion in Cedar Rapids focused on AEA employees and public education; a tour of a small business in Bellevue; and a conversation with UAW workers in Davenport. 

In short, Rob’s focus was on Iowa workers: how to better support them, hearing what they need directly from them, and making sure they know they will always have a seat at the table with Rob as their governor. 

Read more about day one of Rob’s “One Year, One Iowa” tour below: 

• WQAD: Iowa governor hopeful Rob Sand visits UAW workers in Davenport

• The Cedar Rapids Gazette: At Cedar Rapids roundtable, Rob Sand hears concerns about AEA reforms

  • Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand on Monday launched a new statewide tour focused on education and community issues, beginning with a roundtable in Cedar Rapids that centered on recent state reforms to Iowa’s Area Education Agencies and their impact on special education services.

  • The consensus among those gathered was that the reforms, while intended to increase efficiency and accountability, have instead fragmented support systems and raised barriers for schools and families.

  • Sand told attendees that the stories shared at Monday’s event will inform his campaign’s broader conversations about education and community investment. As governor, he said he will work to stabilize the program and “get funding back where it can be most effective in these kids’ lives.”

  • “I think that this is one of those situations where your first guiding principle should be, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Sand said, adding that of all the town halls he’s done across the state over the years as state auditor and a candidate, “Never once did I have a person approach me at a town hall or anywhere, or send us an email saying, ‘I have a mild concern about the AEAs’ — nobody, not once.’”

• The Telegraph-Herald: Sand discusses workforce shortages, school vouchers during Bellevue small business tour

  • In the wake of his 100-town-hall tour across the state, State Auditor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand returned to northeast Iowa, this time to meet with business and community leaders from Bellevue.

  • Leaders from the organization met with Sand to discuss worker shortages in trade professions, affordable housing and education reform. Other community leaders were also in attendance.

  • “I think we should be more supportive of the trades,” Sand said. “And if that means financially, that’s one thing. But a lot of this comes down to the rhetoric and how we talk about it in education.”

  • John Darrah, chair of the Dubuque County Republican Party, echoed Sand’s claims, stating that there needs to be an easier way for kids to find alternatives to four-year universities.