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Rob Sand Reacts to Governor Reynolds’ Condition of the State Address

For Immediate Release

Contact: press@robsand.com

Rob Sand for Iowa

1/14/2026

DES MOINES, IA – Yesterday, candidate for governor Rob Sand released a video setting the record straight on the realities Iowans are facing ahead of Governor Kim Reynolds’ Condition of the State address. As predicted, Governor Reynolds left out key information on where things stand in Iowa, including Iowa being the worst state for economic growth, plummeting public schools, having the number one growth rate for cancer, and a looming $1 billion deficit. 

Rob reacted to the speech directly following. Learn more below

KCRG: Rob Sand: ‘I would like to see the math on it

  • The details are in the numbers, Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand – a Des Moines Democrat running for governor in 2026 – told Gray Media Iowa about Governor Kim Reynolds’ property tax plan.
  • “I love a good tax cut,” Sand said. “What does that mean though? Are you going to cut spending?”
  • “If you’re cutting spending, where are you cutting spending? I hope you’re not cutting it from police officers. I hope you’re not cutting it from public schools,” Sand said. He continued, “But that equation always is really important, and I would love for them to also talk about the other side of that when they’re talking about property taxes.”

Des Moines Register: Rob Sand ‘concerned about what we didn’t hear’ in Reynolds’ address

  • Democratic candidate for governor Rob Sand issued a video “prebuttal” to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Condition of the State speech, asking Iowans to “just be honest about the state of the state right now.” 
  • “She’s going to tell Iowans that everything’s great,” Sand, the state auditor, says while taking a stroll along the river in downtown Des Moines. “But I don’t think that everything’s great.”
  • [Rob Sand] lamented layoffs across Iowa, declines in education rankings and a weakening agricultural economy.  “That’s the reality of where 10 years of one-party control has brought us in the state of Iowa,” Sand said.  
  • “I think most of the stuff that was talked about here tonight is things that reasonable people can agree on,” he said. “I’m concerned about what we didn’t hear. We didn’t hear about a record state budget deficit. We didn’t hear about a plan to fix that. We didn’t hear about water quality in the state of Iowa.”

The Gazette: Iowa Gov. Reynolds, in final policy push, proposes property tax overhaul

  • Sand also pointed to Iowa’s broader economic challenges, reference low state rankings nationally in personal income, and said the lack of discussion about long-term fiscal stability was troubling.
  • “The problem is that the tremendous cuts that came out of the Big Beautiful Bill mean that the money that we’re getting here tonight is a fraction of what we’ve lost,” he said. “ … I’m glad that it’s there, but it’s not going to replace the funds that were cut for the state of Iowa out in Washington.
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