Rob Sand Takes “Opportunities for All” Plan and Vision for Divided Government Across Iowa on 100 Town Hall Tour

Rob Sand: “I want us to talk about the fact that we disagree with each other and then come together and work together anyway. That’s when our government works best.”

DES MOINES, IA — Nominee for governor Rob Sand has continued his annual 100 Town Hall Tour, bringing his “Opportunities for All” plan directly to Iowans across the state. Rob knows that when Iowa’s farmers succeed, the whole state succeeds — and that creating opportunities for young workers, small businesses, and investing in Iowa agriculture are key to Iowa’s future. As governor, Rob will work with Republicans, independents, and Democrats alike to deliver results for all Iowans, not special interests.

Learn more about Rob’s recent 100 Town Hall Tour stops below:

Oeilwein Daily Register: ‘Sand Storm’ hits Oelwein

Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand is looking for more than a win in November — he’s looking at restoring Iowa back to common sense governing and humility across the aisle.
“I think our political system is broken largely because it’s run by two private clubs who are satisfied with making you think they are the lesser of two evils,” Sand said. “[…] Maybe the number one issue we try to address is getting our state government to work for all of us again?”
Sand spoke of his top priorities, ones that matter to Iowan’s on all sides of the debate, like the cancer crisis and water quality issues, education and lowering costs of healthcare. Those priorities, he said, also look like good government reform and removal of specialty privileges, cancer and water quality and term and age limits.
“The only thing we can do to lower healthcare costs in Iowa, as well as increase access to healthcare, is to end the privatization of Medicaid in the state of Iowa,” Sand replied. “The privatization of Medicaid has been a disaster. Taxes were raised on most Iowan’s health insurance claims just this year when we continue to pay for the profits of the companies that run privatized Medicaid.”

Atlantic News Telegraph: Sand visits Cass County

Rob Sand, candidate for governor, said on Wednesday prior to a town hall meeting in Atlantic that many questions he heard in meetings around the state involve education, the economy and cancer.
Sand also said he received questions about the economy, and prior to the meeting, said if he is elected governor, he would end the privatization of Medicare, make sure officials who own data centers pay their fair share of taxes, raise the minimum wage and have a better economic development plan for the state.
“High prices are an incredible issue,” Sand said.
“I think we need to raise the minimum wage and I think our economic development program should be oriented around community improvement rather than just giving millions of dollars to some company to hopefully locate here and hopefully cross our fingers to keep jobs here for more than two years.”

New Hampton Tribune: Sand makes pitch at town hall meeting

As he did during a visit to Chickasaw County last fall, [Rob Sand] emphasized that he understands that if he is elected, he will be working with a Republican-controlled Legislature. And he said he would welcome the opportunity – pointing out that the last federal budget surpluses came with a Democrat, Bill Clinton, in the White House and a GOP-controlled Congress.
“I want us to talk about the fact that we disagree with each other and then come together and work together anyway,” Sand said. “That’s when our government works best.”
Sand said Iowa’s income growth ranks 48th in the county, its cancer rates are skyrocketing and its educational system, which for years was among the nation’s best, is now in the “bottom half” of state rankings.

Dubuque Telegraph Herald: Sand pitches gubernatorial bid to Dubuque voters, talks ag in Maquoketa

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand made several stops in northeast Iowa over the past few days, notably at a Dubuque town hall Monday and a shop talk on agricultural issues at a Maquoketa farm Saturday.
Over 500 people attended Sand’s town hall at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds, the largest attendance of his tour so far, according to his campaign. He kicked it off the same way he had last year’s town hall; by welcoming Republican and Independent voters and leading the crowd in “America the Beautiful” before launching into his talking points of breaking up a decade of one-party rule in Iowa and reaching across the political aisle to help alleviate Iowa’s water quality and cancer crisis, invest in public education and expand the state’s economy.
Over the weekend, Sand featured in a more intimate setting at the home of Joe Heinrich, a livestock and grain farmer near Maquoketa. Heinrich hosted a shop talk with farmers and producers, who were given the chance to listen to the candidate go more in depth into issues such as expanding markets for Iowa’s ag products, eminent domain for energy production and transportation purposes and the state’s water quality crisis.
“At the end of the day, a lot of these conservation programs can help improve efficiency, too, for the whole farm,” he said. ”Farm income is a whole separate issue that we’re struggling with, largely because of federal policy. … Still, every year, even while they’ve been struggling, they’ve been getting put on waitlists.”
Heinrich, who has not endorsed a candidate in the race, said he’s reached out to Sand’s opponent Zach Lahn with the hopes of holding a similar event with the Republican. “I’m grateful to Rob for coming out,” Heinrich said. “It’s so important for these (farmers) to hear straight from the candidates when it comes to (these topics).”

Carroll Broadcasting Company: Sand Draws Crowd Of 230 At Thursday’s Campaign Stop In Carroll County

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand drew a crowd of around 230 people last night (Thursday) as he hosted a campaign stop in Carroll County on his 100 Town Hall Tour.
Iowa’s water quality issues and second-in-the-nation cancer rates were also discussed during Sand’s event Thursday. Both Sand and his Republican opponent, Zach Lahn, have made these issues high priorities for their respective campaigns. Sand says Iowa’s water quality issues are multi-faceted and complex, but it all starts with funding Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy (IWILL) Trust, which voters approved by 63 percent in 2010. As for cancer, Sand says nitrates are in the water, but Iowans’ habits, including smoking, diet, and exercise, are also contributing factors. He notes the state’s high radon levels also can no longer be ignored and advocates for more targeted mitigation plans.

Audubon County Advocate Journal: Sand gives views on data centers in Audubon County meeting

Rob Sand, candidate for governor, said during a town hall meeting in Audubon County last Thursday if company officials want to build data centers in Iowa, he would like to see how the company will benefit the area.
“We have been giving the farm away on data centers, and it should stop,” Sand said. “We’ve been giving them massive tax breaks to come here and just basically run their businesses in a way that doesn’t necessarily respect Iowans or our way of life. Here’s the answer: I want a law on my desk, if we win this race, in January that sets a high floor where, if anything is getting built in Iowa, it’s actually contributing to the lives of Iowans.
Sand also said it was important to talk and listen to the people who may have opposing opinions on issues because everyone has the opportunity to learn something, which in turn could lead to solutions to issues.
“Everybody in Iowa is humble enough to know that there’s no one person or party that has all the answers, right?” he said. “And then if we listen to each other, we can learn a little bit.”