For Rob Sand, It’s Not “Red Team” or “Blue Team,” It’s “About Iowa”

DES MOINES, IA – On Wednesday, candidate for governor Rob Sand brought his annual 100 Town Hall Tour to Keokuk, Iowa, Tama, and Poweshiek counties. At every stop, Rob called out the brokenness of our two-party system and the way partisanship has divided us. He talked about something simple but important: bringing people back together — or as he likes to put it, “Make Thanksgiving Fun Again.”

At every town hall, Rob asks Republicans, Democrats, and independents to raise their hands and applaud one another, before joining together to sing the first verse of America the Beautiful. It’s a reminder that no matter our politics, we’re still neighbors — and we’re stronger when we stand together.

Read more about Rob’s town hall tour stops below:

• Southeast Iowa Union: No ‘red team’ or ‘blue team’

  • Sand, one of a handful of candidates for Iowa governor, said Wednesday that our political system is broken. Rather than submitting to the dictates of a political party, people should research issues and stand by their own beliefs, Sand said.

  • Sand noted that Jesus was a nice guy, but he reminded the crowd of a time when Jesus wasn’t. “Jesus got really mad when he saw money changers at the temple,” said Sand. Jesus overturned their tables.

  • “I would like to flip some tables in Des Moines,” Sand said.

• Marshalltown Times-Republican: Gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand pushes for a new brand of politics during Toledo town hall

  • The purpose of his campaign, he said, is to highlight a “broken” political system that incentivizes demonizing opponents and perceived enemies over solving problems and working together.

  • Sand said the people of Iowa needed to change the political culture and work together before asking registered Republicans, independents and finally Democrats in the crowd to raise their hands and be applauded. He then asked the audience to sing the opening verse of “America the Beautiful,” which has become a calling card of his recent campaign events.

• The Scarlet & Black: Rob Sand stops in Poweshiek County for his gubernatorial campaign tour

  • “I registered as a Democrat, but I didn’t leave my independent mind behind,” Sand said. “I have said things in the course of this campaign that have upset some people in my own party.”

  • “I believe that the Democratic Party, at its best, is for the little guy. You may disagree. You’re free to disagree,” he said. “I also did it because there was a Democratic president at the time who balanced the budget and used the surplus to pay down the debt. You can disagree with me on that one, but you would just be wrong.”