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Coming up on ����vlog 8 News Close Up... CLOSE UP. ROB SAND ANNOUNCES HE’S RUNNING FOR THE STATE’S HIGHEST OFFICE. WHY? THE IOWA DEMOCRAT IS GUNNING FOR GOVERNOR AND WHAT HE WANTS TO DELIVER FOR IOWANS. AND IT’S A WRAP FOR THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THE KEY PRIORITIES PASSED BY LAWMAKERS, AND WHAT BILLS WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS ����vlog EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. WELL, IOWA LAWMAKERS HAVE OFFICIALLY WRAPPED UP THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THEY WORKED ON A LONG NIGHT WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT LAST WEDNESDAY, SPENDING MORE THAN 20 HOURS AT THE STATE HOUSE TO FINALIZE THEIR $9.4 BILLION BUDGET AND PUSH THROUGH THEIR KEY PRIORITIES. A FURIOUS RACE TO THE FINISH LINE. STATE LAWMAKERS PASSING MORE THAN A DOZEN BILLS WORKING OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY TO SET THE STATE BUDGET AND PUSH THROUGH THEIR FINAL PIECES OF POLICY. 14 MILLION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO THE BILL. HAVING RECEIVED A CONSTITUTIONAL MAJORITY, IS DECLARED TO HAVE PASSED. WE KNOW THAT IOWANS DESERVE TO KEEP MORE OF THEIR HARD EARNED DOLLARS. THE FINAL GAVEL FELL WITHOUT PASSING PROPERTY TAX CUTS. REPUBLICANS HAD SAID THAT WAS THEIR TOP PRIORITY HEADING INTO THE SESSION. IOWANS HAVE BEEN BEGGING US TO SHIFT OUR FOCUS TO PROPERTY TAXES. I THINK IT’S TIME WE FOCUS ON PROPERTY TAXES. NEXT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THE RISING PROPERTY TAXES. VOTERS ACROSS THE STATE HAD TOLD ����vlog IT WAS THEIR TOP PRIORITY TO PROPERTY TAXES ARE HIGH ENOUGH. I KEEP HEARING ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES THEY’VE JUST GOTTEN OUT OF HAND. LAST WEEK. THE SENATE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE WORKED ON A BILL THAT WOULD GET RID OF IOWA’S ROLLBACK SYSTEM THAT CALCULATES LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES. BUT THE BILL DIDN’T MAKE IT TO A VOTE IN EITHER CHAMBER. IT’S A PRETTY BIG CHANGE FROM THE CURRENT SYSTEM. EARLIER THIS YEAR, HOUSE SPEAKER PAT GRASSLEY SAID THE PROPOSED OVERHAUL WOULD LIKELY TAKE MULTIPLE YEARS TO GET RIGHT. WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING AT SUCH A SYSTEM THAT’S BEEN IN PLACE AS LONG AS IT HAS, IT’S GOING TO TAKE TIME, AND WE NEED TO BE VERY DELIBERATE IN OUR APPROACH TO MAKE SURE WE’RE NOT ONLY PROVIDING RELIEF, BUT THAT IT’S SOMETHING THAT’S SUSTAINABLE AS WELL. THE 2025 SESSION ALSO BROUGHT HISTORIC CHANGE TO IOWA’S CIVIL RIGHTS ACT. TRANSGENDER RIGHTS ARE NOT ELEVATED ABOVE WOMEN. IN ONE WEEK, A BILL TO REMOVE CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS FOR GENDER IDENTITY WAS INTRODUCED AND PASSED, SPARKING DAYS OF PROTEST. CARNES RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, THE STATE SENATE TOOK ACTION ON EMINENT DOMAIN. SOME LANDOWNERS CALLED IT A LONG AWAITED VICTORY. SO TO GET TO THIS POINT IS ASTRONOMICAL. WE’RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THIS. IN A RARE BIPARTISAN MOVE, 13 REPUBLICANS AND 14 DEMOCRATS JOINED FORCES TO PASS A BILL. IT WOULD LIMIT THE USE OF EMINENT DOMAIN FOR PIPELINE PROJECTS LIKE THE $8.9 BILLION PROPOSED CARBON CAPTURE PIPELINE THAT SUMMIT CARBON SOLUTIONS WANTS TO BUILD THROUGH IOWA. THE BILL, HAVING RECEIVED A CONSTITUTIONAL MAJORITY, IS DECLARED TO HAVE PASSED THE SENATE. BOTH CHAMBERS THEN QUICKLY MOVED TO APPROVE BUDGET BILLS, CLEARING A MAJOR HURDLE AND BRINGING THE 2025 SESSION TO A CLOSE. AND THE GOVERNOR ALSO GOT SOME BIG WINS FOR HER AGENDA THIS SESSION. LAWMAKERS PASSED MOST OF HER TOP PRIORITIES, ADDING HUNDREDS OF NEW MEDICAL RESIDENCY SLOTS TO OUR STATE, PUTTING $1 MILLION INTO NEW CANCER RESEARCH IN OVERHAULING PART OF THE STATE’S UNEMPLOYMENT TAX SYSTEM. AND AFTER YEARS OF PUSHING, GOVERNOR REYNOLDS FINALLY GOT PAID PARENTAL LEAVE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES. NOW SHE’S ALREADY SIGNED SOME OF HER PRIORITIES INTO LAW, LIKE LIMITING CELL PHONE USE IN SCHOOLS AND WHILE DRIVING AND EXPANDING DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAMS. BUT NOT EVERYTHING MADE IT. HER ENERGY BILL AND HER PLAN FOR ALL-DAY CHILD CARE DID NOT GET TAKEN UP. WHEN WE COME BACK, I’LL SIT DOWN FOR A ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW WITH STATE AUDITOR ROB SAND AS HE LAUNCHES HIS CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR. STAY WITH US. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP THE 2026 RACE FOR GOVERNOR IS STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE. KIM REYNOLDS ANNOUNCEMENT THAT SHE WON’T RUN FOR REELECTION CREATED A WIDE OPEN RACE. THAT’S A RARE MOMENT IN IOWA POLITICS THAT COULD CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF OUR STATE. LAST WEEK, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN RANDY FEENSTRA FILED PAPERWORK TO RUN AND ANNOUNCED AN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE. STATE AUDITOR, DEMOCRAT ROB SAND ALSO ANNOUNCED HIS CAMPAIGN LAST WEEK. DEMOCRAT SANDRA WILSON AND REPUBLICAN BRAD SHERMAN ARE ALSO RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR. ROB SAND, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. WE APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. HAPPY TO BE HERE, AMANDA. WELL, FOR IOWANS WHO MAY NOT KNOW. WHY DON’T YOU START BY JUST TELLING ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO YOU ARE, YOUR PERSONAL LIFE AND YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND? SURE. MY WIFE, CHRISTINE AND I HAVE TWO LITTLE BOYS. THEY ARE EIGHT AND 11. NO DIAPERS, NO NAPS, NO CELL PHONES, NO TEENAGERS, AND HAVE SPENT MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER LARGELY IN WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO THINK OF AS PUBLIC SERVICE. I WAS THE CHIEF PUBLIC CORRUPTION PROSECUTOR FOR THE STATE OF IOWA FOR SEVEN YEARS, SO I PROSECUTED THE FILM OFFICE TAX CREDIT SCANDAL CASES. I LED THE INVESTIGATION IN THE PROSECUTION OF THE LARGEST LOTTERY RIGGING SCHEME IN AMERICAN HISTORY, WITH EDDIE TIPTON. AND I PROSECUTED A LOT OF VIOLENT CRIME IN THAT TIME, AS WELL AS SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR CIVIL COMMITMENT CASES. WHEN I RAN FOR STATE AUDITOR IN 2018, GOT ELECTED, THEN REELECTED IN 22, AND MY RECORD THERE, I THINK, AGAIN, HAS BEEN ABOUT FOCUSING ON SERVING ALL OF IOWA. WE STARTED A GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY PROGRAM THAT IS SO GOOD AT SAVING TAX DOLLARS THAT IT’S BEEN COPIED IN OTHER STATES, AND WE UNCOVERED A RECORD AMOUNT OF MISSPENT MONEY IN MY FIRST TERM, A LOT THERE. YEAH, YEAH. NOW YOU’RE RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR. WHY, GOVERNOR? AND WHY NOW? YEAH. THE BOTTOM LINE, I THINK, IS WE NEED TO GET BACK TO PUBLIC SERVICE OVER PARTIZANSHIP AND OVER POLITICS. I TELL YOU WHAT, I’VE DONE THE RESPONSE IN THE CAPITOL BUILDING TO US UNCOVERING A RECORD AMOUNT OF MISSPENT MONEY WAS TO PASS A LAW MAKING IT HARDER FOR US TO FIND MISSPENT MONEY. I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT I’M SAYING THAT. IT BLOWS MY MIND. AND TO ME, IT IS A VERY CLEAR MARKER OF JUST HOW MISPLACED THE PRIORITIES ARE OF THE LEADERSHIP IN THE STATE OF IOWA. WE HAVE AN ECONOMY THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION JUST SAID IS 49TH IN THE COUNTRY. IOWANS ARE FACING RISING COSTS. EVERYWHERE I GO THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO ME ABOUT THAT ISSUE, AND THEY’RE OVER HERE MAKING IT HARDER FOR US TO FIND OUT WHEN THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE MISSPENT. TIME FOR CHANGE. WHAT WOULD AN IOWA UNDER ROB SAND LOOK LIKE? WELL, LOOK, IT’S IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO REMEMBER THE WAY WE TALK ABOUT THIS HAS GOT TO BE HONEST. HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY WE CAN ALL REMEMBER. LEARNING ABOUT CHECKS AND BALANCES. SO IF I’M ELECTED GOVERNOR, ALMOST EVERYONE AGREES THAT I’M AWARE OF THAT. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE. THAT MEANS WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. I ACTUALLY THINK THAT THAT’S A GOOD THING. AS MY DAD WOULD SAY, EVEN A BLIND HOG FINDS AN ACORN EVERY NOW AND THEN, RIGHT? EVEN A BROKEN CLOCK IS RIGHT TWICE A DAY. SO LET’S START ACKNOWLEDGING THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, SOMEONE THAT WE THINK IS DEAD WRONG 90% OF THE TIME ACTUALLY HAS A POINT ON SOMETHING THAT THEY SAID. IF WE HAVE THAT SITUATION WHERE THE TWO PARTIES ARE FORCED TO WORK TOGETHER, I THINK THAT THAT’S GOING TO BE BETTER FOR THE WHOLE STATE OF IOWA, BECAUSE WE WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOT INCLUDING LOTS OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS, AND WE’LL BE FOCUSED NOT ON SERVING A TINY LITTLE NUMBER OF INSIDERS AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. WHAT TOP ISSUES DO YOU THINK IOWANS ARE FACING RIGHT NOW THAT YOU COULD DELIVER FOR THEM ON? I THINK WE CAN DO SO MUCH TO HELP RELIEVE THE PRESSURE OF RISING COSTS ON IOWANS. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF THAT IS, AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE HONEST, NATIONALLY DRIVEN, INTERNATIONALLY DRIVEN. BUT IOWA STATE GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW ISN’T DOING WHAT IT CAN TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE. AND THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS THROUGH GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY. WE STARTED A PROGRAM IN MY FIRST TERM CALLED PI PUBLIC INNOVATIONS AND EFFICIENCIES. AGAIN, IT’S SO GOOD AT SAVING TAX DOLLARS. IT’S ACTUALLY BEEN COPIED IN OTHER STATES. WE HAVE HAD THAT RUNNING SINCE 2019. THERE’S HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT CAN BE SAVED BY IMPLEMENTING MORE EFFICIENCY PRACTICES AND REALLY PUSHING THE POWER OF THE STATE TOWARDS DOING THAT, RATHER THAN JUST THE STATE IGNORING A PROGRAM THAT THE STATE AUDITOR HAS BEEN RUNNING. THE GOVERNOR WOULD SAY SHE’S DOING DOVER. SHE’S REPUBLICANS ARE DOING GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AS WELL. HOW WOULD IT BE DIFFERENT UNDER YOU IF YOU WERE GOVERNOR? WELL, I WANT TO SAY THIS AGAIN FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE TASK FORCE. GREAT. I’M GLAD WE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME TO FIND MORE WAYS TO SAVE MONEY. THERE’S ALMOST AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF WAYS TO SAVE MONEY, BUT FOR THE COMMENTS FROM LEADERSHIP RIGHT NOW, I’M SORRY IF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY TELLS YOU THAT THE BILL YOU’RE ABOUT TO SIGN IS GOING TO INCREASE WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE BY EFFECTIVELY MAKING IT SO THAT THE AUDITOR’S OFFICE CAN’T DETER PEOPLE FROM MISSPENDING IT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN HIDE IT. YOU’RE NOT REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT THEN. SO THE NUMBER ONE WAY IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IS WE WOULD BE SAYING WE WANT TO ROOT OUT EVERY LITTLE BIT OF WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE. SO WE WOULD WANT TO RESTORE THE POWER OF THE STATE AUDITOR’S OFFICE TO DETER PEOPLE FROM ABUSING THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND FOR YOU, I KNOW ONE OF YOUR ARGUMENTS IN THIS HAS BEEN THAT IT’S NOT ABOUT POLITICS. IF THERE WERE A REPUBLICAN STATE AUDITOR, YOU WOULD STILL RESTORE THAT LAW AS WELL, REGARDLESS OF WHAT PARTY THAT PERSON IS. WATCH ME DO IT. WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, BUT WHEN WE COME BACK, WE’LL TALK ABOUT THE RECORD OF REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IN IOWA AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR SAM’S CAMPAIGN AS A DEMOCRAT. I WANT TO TURN A LITTLE BIT TO JUST THE DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF IOWA. DEMOCRATS HAVE LOST GROUND THE PAST SEVERAL ELECTION CYCLES. YOU KNOW, YOU’RE THE ONLY STATEWIDE ELECTED DEMOCRAT RIGHT NOW. BUT WE HAVE WATCHED DEMOCRATS LOSE SEATS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, LOSE ATTORNEY GENERAL POSTS STATEWIDE. IOWA SWUNG MORE RIGHT IN THE LAST NOVEMBER ELECTION. SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO TALK TO REPUBLICANS, PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR TRUMP IN THE LAST ELECTION TO VOTE FOR ROB SAND FOR GOVERNOR? YEAH, SAME THING I’VE BEEN DOING, WHICH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. THE IOWANS THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HAVE VOTED FOR DONALD TRUMP THAN ME, THAN DONALD TRUMP, THAN ME, THAN DONALD TRUMP. I THINK THEY’LL VOTE FOR ME AGAIN. THEY KNOW ME. THEY KNOW THAT MY APPROACH TO THINGS IS NOT REALLY DEMOCRATIC. IT’S NOT REPUBLICAN EITHER. AND A PART OF THAT IS JUST WHO I AM. IF YOU IF YOU WENT OUT THERE AND YOU TOLD SOMEONE, OKAY, THERE’S A CANDIDATE THAT’S RUNNING WHO IS BORN AND RAISED IN A SMALL TOWN, WHO WHOSE FAITH IS AN INCREDIBLE MOTIVATOR FOR THEIR LIFE, WHO LIKES TO HUNT AND FISH AND WHO OWNS GUNS, INCLUDING HANDGUNS. WHICH PARTY ARE THEY IN? THE VAST MAJORITY OF WOULD TELL YOU REPUBLICAN. THAT’S ME. BUT I ALSO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT I THINK AMANDA SOMETHING EVERY ONE OF US UNDERSTANDS, BUT NOBODY IN THE POWER STRUCTURE REALLY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT. THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PARTIES DON’T SOLVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS TO DESERVE THEIR LITTLE SHARED MONOPOLY. WE AREN’T DOING OUR COUNTRY A SERVICE BY FORCING PEOPLE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO CANDIDATES WHEN THEY’RE NOT EXCITED ABOUT EITHER. TALKING ABOUT THAT IS THE FIRST PIECE OF GETTING DOWN THE ROAD TO FIXING IT. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED DONALD TRUMP, THEY SUPPORTED HIM, ACTUALLY, FOR THE SAME REASON THAT MANY OF THEM VOTED FOR BARACK OBAMA. HE’S NOT REALLY QUITE A DEMOCRAT OR A REPUBLICAN. THEY BOTH TOOK ON THEIR PARTY’S ESTABLISHMENT AND THEY SAID, I’M GOING TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. THAT IS A CENTRAL PIECE OF MY APPROACH TO THINGS. I DON’T WANT TO BE A PARTY LEADER. I WANT TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT. BUT YOU WOULD BE, IN A SENSE, A GOVERNOR WHO’S GIVING A CONDITION OF THE STATE, WHO’S LAYING OUT. THESE ARE THE TOP POLICY PRIORITIES THAT I WANT FOR THE STATE, QUITE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU’RE DOING NOW, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ROOTING OUT AND WORKING ON GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY. THAT WOULD EXPAND TO ALL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC LIFE. ARE THERE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY? OKAY, IF ROB SAND WERE ELECTED? THESE ARE THE TYPES OF POLICY PRIORITIES THAT HE WOULD PRIORITIZE. SURE. YEAH. I’M A I’M A BIG FAN OF THE CONSTITUTION. LET’S START THERE. CHECKS AND BALANCES ARE IMPORTANT. I THINK I WOULD WANT A STATE AUDITOR THAT CAN SCRUTINIZE EVERYTHING THAT MY ADMINISTRATION CAN DO. WE’VE GOT A $9 BILLION ANNUAL BUDGET. YOU CAN’T BE LOOKING EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME. THE AUDITOR’S JOB IS TO COME IN AND LOOK AROUND AND FIGURE OUT WHAT’S GOING WRONG, AND ALSO TO DETER PEOPLE FROM MISSPENDING IT ALSO A BIG FAN OF FREEDOM, RIGHT? I THINK IOWANS OUGHT TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO LIVE THEIR LIVES, AND I DON’T LIKE THE IDEA OF GOVERNMENT RUN BY A TINY, TINY NUMBER OF PEOPLE STARTING TO ENCROACH ON THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS. WE’RE GOING TO STOP THERE AND TAKE A QUICK BREAK. MY CONVERSATION WITH STATE AUDITOR ROB SAND WILL CONTINUE WHEN WE COME BACK. WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? OBVIOUSLY, THERE’S A LONG WAYS AWAY TO THE NOVEMBER 2026 ELECTION. WE DON’T KNOW YET WHAT THE JUNE PRIMARY COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE FOR ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE. BUT WHAT IS THIS CAMPAIGN GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? LOOK, I’VE BEEN A STATE AUDITOR FOR ALL. WE’VE HAD SENIOR LEADERSHIP FROM DIFFERENT PARTIES. I’VE CRITICIZED GOVERNOR REYNOLDS WHEN IT’S FAIR, I’VE DEFENDED HER WHEN IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. THIS CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR WILL BE ABOUT BEING A GOVERNOR FOR ALL. IT’S AT THE HEART OF WHAT I WANT TO DO. IT’S AT THE HEART OF WHAT I THINK WE ALL SHOULD BE DOING IS TRYING TO SERVE. AND I’M GOING TO GO EVERYWHERE IN THE STATE. I’M GOING TO BE IN EVERY COUNTY LIKE I AM EVERY YEAR, AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO ATTEND EVENTS. THEY’RE GOING TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WE’RE GOING TO DO WE’RE GOING TO ANNOUNCE THEM ALL AT ONCE. SO YOU CAN SEE WHEN WE’RE SHOWING UP. AND I DON’T CARE WHO YOU VOTED FOR, I DON’T CARE WHAT POLITICAL PERSUASION YOU ARE. I DON’T CARE IF YOU SUPPORTED MY OPPONENT BOTH TIMES. IF YOU GOT A QUESTION FOR ME, COME ASK ME. THAT’S WHAT WE NEED TO GET BACK TO, IS THE IDEA THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD BE RESPONSIVE TO THE PEOPLE, AS OPPOSED TO THE PEOPLE HAVING TO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE SERVING GOVERNMENT. WHEN DID YOU DECIDE, I’M GOING TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR? WALK ME THROUGH THAT THOUGHT PROCESS. THAT’S A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER, AND I DON’T KNOW IF THERE’S A MOMENT WHERE A DECISION BECOMES CLEAR. A LOT OF TIMES IT’S TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK. WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. WELL, I ASK IN PART BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED THAT GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS WAS NOT PLANNING TO RUN FOR REELECTION. I KNOW YOU TO YOUR POINT COMMENT A LOT ON, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT SHE IS DOING. I’M JUST WONDERING IF IT WAS A SURPRISE TO YOU AT ALL WHEN SHE ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WASN’T GOING TO BE SEEKING A THIRD TERM. IT WAS A SURPRISE. THE ONLY THING I HAD TO SAY AT THE TIME IS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY NOW. THESE ARE REALLY DIFFICULT DECISIONS. I THINK, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE. WHO CARE ABOUT THINGS IN LIFE OTHER THAN WHAT OFFICE THEY HOLD. YOU’VE GOT FAMILY OBLIGATIONS. YOU’VE GOT THE CAPACITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT AMOUNT OF DIFFERENCE YOU CAN MAKE, MAYBE WHERE YOU ARE VERSUS SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT’S COMPLICATED. AND I SAID AT THE TIME WHEN SHE SAID SHE WASN’T RUNNING AGAIN, IT’S A DIFFICULT PATH THAT FEW UNDERSTAND OUTSIDE OF THOSE WHO HAVE CHOSEN IT. AND I WISH HER AND HER FAMILY WELL IN RETIREMENT. IOWA HAS NOT HAD A WIDE OPEN RACE FOR GOVERNOR IN QUITE SOME TIME, WHICH POLITICAL ANALYSTS WILL LOOK AT AND SAY THAT THAT CHANGES THE GAME OR POTENTIALLY THE CALCULATION FOR WHAT THIS RACE COULD LOOK LIKE? I MEAN, FOR YOU, WHAT THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE OF IOWA THAT GET TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN IN A WIDE OPEN RACE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU AS YOU’RE BUILDING OUT YOUR COALITION? I DON’T KNOW THAT IT CHANGES OUR APPROACH. AGAIN, MY APPROACH HAS ALWAYS BEEN BE MYSELF. LET PEOPLE SEE WHO I AM AND KEEP CLOSE TO WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME. CAN I ASK YOU IF THAT’S TOO PERSONAL FOR YOU? BUT JUST HOW HAS FAITH PLAYED A ROLE FOR YOU IN THIS? I KNOW TRYING TO MAKE THIS DECISION IS A LARGE CHOICE. HOW HAS FAITH LED YOU TO RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR? AND HOW WILL IT IMPACT YOUR CAMPAIGN AS WELL? YEAH, WELL, I’M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT. AND I AM SO TIRED AND I’VE KIND OF SPENT MY LIFE BEING TIRED OF SOME PEOPLE’S PERCEPTION THAT GOD BELONGS TO A POLITICAL PARTY. I REMEMBER BEING IN HIGH SCHOOL GROWING UP IN DECORAH, AND, YOU KNOW, WE’D BE IN CHURCH ON SUNDAYS AND THEN CHURCH, SCHOOL OR YOUTH GROUP ON WEDNESDAYS. AND SEEING SOME REPRESENTATIONS OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA, LIKE FRED PHELPS, WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH, PROTESTING AT THE SOLDIERS OF FUNERALS OR SORRY, AT THE FUNERALS OF SOLDIERS SAYING TERRIBLE THINGS AND JUST THINKING, WHERE IS THAT IN MY BIBLE? HOW CAN I ASSOCIATE MYSELF WITH PEOPLE LIKE THAT? BY SAYING I’M A CHRISTIAN. BUT IT WASN’T TOO LONG BEFORE I REALIZED I HAVE TO ACTUALLY STAND UP FOR WHAT I THINK THE MESSAGE IS, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT’S LOST TO THAT KIND OF AN ATTITUDE. AND TO ME. THE MESSAGE IS FUNDAMENTALLY AT PEACE. WHEN I SAY A GOVERNOR FOR ALL, IT’S BECAUSE THAT MESSAGE IS ABOUT BEING FOR EVERYONE. CHRISTIANITY IS FOR EVERYONE. JESUS CAME NOT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO GET TO SIT ON THIS STAGE AND BE ON TV. HE CAME FOR THOSE THAT ARE OUTCAST. HE CAME FOR THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN. HE CAME FOR THOSE FOR WHOM THE WORLD TURNS THEIR FACE AND LOOKS SOMEWHERE ELSE. THAT MESSAGE IS ABOUT MOSTLY COMFORTING THE AFFLICTED, BUT SOMETIMES AFFLICTING THE COMFORTABLE TOO. AND I WANT TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF HONESTY IN THIS RACE. YEAH, I WANT TO TURN A LITTLE BIT JUST TO I KNOW THAT THERE’S A LONG ROAD AHEAD FOR YOU WHERE YOU’LL BE HAVING A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU’RE SAYING TALKING ABOUT FAITH, TALKING ABOUT HUNTING, TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SEE THAT AS, OKAY, THERE’S BEEN REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IN THIS STATE FOR YEARS AND YEARS. HOW WOULD ROB SAND BE DIFFERENT FROM THAT? COULD YOU PAINT ME A CONTRAST AT ALL FROM THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT YOU WANT TO BRING TO IOWA? ABSOLUTELY. IT’S NOT JUST CHECKS AND BALANCES, BUT AGAIN, IT’S I THERE’S A DIFFERENCE, I THINK, BETWEEN TALKING ABOUT ONE’S FAITH AND SAYING ONE HOLDS A FAITH, BUT THEN ACTUALLY ACTING IN A WAY THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF IT. I’M PROBABLY IT PROBABLY WASN’T SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, BUT I THINK IT WAS WHO SAID, PREACH THE GOSPEL AT ALL TIMES AND WHEN NECESSARY, USE WORDS. RIGHT? HOW DO WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT IOWANS WITHOUT INCLUDING THEM? MY MOM SPENT HER ENTIRE CAREER. THIS IS GOING TO BE MY MOM SPENT HER ENTIRE CAREER WORKING IN THE AEA. SHE WAS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED KIDS. SHE WAS DRIVING AROUND NORTHEAST IOWA, AND SHE WOULD COME HOME SOME DAYS JUST ON CLOUD NINE. MY KID LEARNED TO WALK TODAY, AND SHE HAD THE SAME LEVEL OF PRIDE IN THAT KID AS SHE WOULD HAVE IF IT HAD BEEN MY SISTER OR I. HOW DO WE HOW DOES THIS ADMINISTRATION, THIS LEGISLATURE, THESE LEADERS, GUT THE ACA PROGRAM WHEN THEY DIDN’T TALK TO PARENTS WHOSE KIDS ARE IN THE PROGRAM, WHEN THEY DIDN’T TALK TO THE PEOPLE, LIKE MY MOM WHO SPENT THEIR CAREER IN THIS PROGRAM, THE GOVERNOR WOULD SAY THAT SHE HAD PEOPLE FROM THE ACA AND THAT SHE HAD SUPERINTENDENTS AND PARENTS THAT WERE COMING TO HER SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION IN IOWA. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY, ALBEIT THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE MAYBE NOT OUT IN THE PUBLIC EYE, BUT THE GOVERNOR WOULD SAY THAT SHE HEARD SOME SORT OF IMPETUS FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD YOU HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY? ONE YEAR. RIGHT. THEY JUST DID IT. THERE WAS NO TASK FORCE. THERE WAS NO OPEN AND PUBLIC SOLICITATION OF INPUT. WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD WE DO WITH THIS? THOSE ARE IMPORTANT PIECES OF THE PROCESS. IF YOU WANT TO BE A GOVERNOR FOR. ALL RIGHT. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHOSE KIDS HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS WHO DECIDED TO RUN FOR THE LEGISLATURE BECAUSE THEY WERE SO UPSET ABOUT HAVING EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIFE JUST SORT OF TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. NOW, I WANT TO GIVE YOU YOUR FINAL OPPORTUNITY. YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD A 32ND ELEVATOR PITCH TO AN IOWAN ON WHAT ROB SAND WOULD DO FOR THEIR LIFE, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? YEAH. AND NUMBER ONE, I’D LISTEN. NUMBER TWO, I’D LISTEN TO EVERYONE. I’D WANT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. I WANT US TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS TOGETHER. WE ARE FACING SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN THIS STATE. RISING COSTS IS AMONG THE TOP ONES. BUT OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, TOO. I CANNOT BELIEVE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN DECORAH, WE WERE ALWAYS TOP THREE. AND NOW YOU’RE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE RANKINGS THAT PUT US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK. OUR QUARTER, AMANDA FOUNDATION AND EDUCATION. AND NOW WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK. THIS IS A TREMENDOUS CONCERN, AND I THINK WE’VE GOT TO GET FOCUSED AGAIN BACK ON ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE LIVES OF IOWANS, NOT DISTRACTING CULTURE WAR ISSUES, NOT THINGS THAT INSIDERS OR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS WANT, BUT THE THINGS THAT ARE FRONT AND CENTER AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING EVERY DAY IN THEIR LIFE, LISTENING TO THEM AND THEN DOING WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR ALL. WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. WELL, THAT IS ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE FOR TODAY. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. HAVE A GRE