The Gazette: Iowa governor candidate Rob Sand ends statewide tour with reform message

The Gazette: Iowa governor candidate Rob Sand ends statewide tour with reform message

DES MOINES, IA – Last night, candidate for governor Rob Sand concluded his annual 100 Town Hall Tour across Iowa, with his last stop in Decorah, his hometown in Winneshiek County.  Rob “spoke over a hoarse voice to a standing-room-only crowd of at least 250, saying the turnout reflected Iowans’ appetite for practical solutions over partisan fights,” The Gazette reports.

Among the packed crowd in the Danan Lansing building, Rob discussed many issues, including the need for “political reform and accountability,” “bipartisan cooperation and a government that prioritizes ‘problems that impact people’s daily lives,’” a message that The Gazette notes “resonates beyond party lines.” This was Rob’s eighth swing across the state since he first ran for State Auditor in 2017, bringing his career total to 800 town halls. 

Read more from The Gazette here, or key quotes below: 

• Rob Sand wrapped up his 100 Town Hall Tour on Tuesday night in his hometown of Decorah — a milestone that capped months of travel across all 99 Iowa counties and offered a revealing portrait of both his campaign’s reach and the state’s political mood.

• Sand, the Democratic candidate for governor and current state auditor, said the tour reinforced what he’s been hearing from Iowans everywhere: frustration with the state’s direction and growing concern over Iowa’s economic slide and public health challenges.

• “People are very fed up,” Sand said in an interview ahead of his final stop. “They feel that our economy isn’t doing well, and most folks know we’re number one in cancer growth. They’re sick of how things are going, and they’re ready for something different.”

• Throughout the tour — which also included stops Tuesday in Howard, Chickasaw, Bremer and Allamakee counties — Sand emphasized that he’s running to “build things, not just fight about them,” citing his experience launching the state’s Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program, which helps local governments increase efficiency and save public funds through innovative ideas and best practices that has since been replicated in other states.

• Sand said the tour gave him a clearer picture of Iowans’ shared priorities — and frustrations — regardless of party. From farmers and factory workers to teachers and retirees, he said, people voiced common concerns about education, water quality, and government accountability.

• He often began his events by asking attendees to identify themselves as Democrats, Republicans or independents — a gesture meant to underscore his campaign’s cross-party reach. In Waverly and Decorah, several Republicans and independents raised their hands — voters Sand believes are searching for a more pragmatic kind of leadership.

• Sand’s call for an Iowa that is “better and truer Iowa, not just redder or bluer” has found an audience among voters disillusioned with both parties. At the Waverly event, he shared examples of Republicans and independents who have publicly praised his campaign’s tone and message.

• “When I first ran for auditor, I said we need to do a better job of loving our neighbors,” Sand said. “That feels even more true now. Iowans deserve leaders who listen, who care, and who are focused on making their lives better.”