Iowa Democrat Rob Sand launches campaign for governor
Democratic state auditor Rob Sand is officially running for governor. He says his campaign will focus on bipartisanship, accountability and bringing Iowans relief from rising costs. Sand enters the race with more than $8 million on hand, much of it from family contributions.
Democratic state auditor Rob Sand is officially running for governor. He says his campaign will focus on bipartisanship, accountability and bringing Iowans relief from rising costs. Sand enters the race with more than $8 million on hand, much of it from family contributions.
Democratic state auditor Rob Sand is officially running for governor. He says his campaign will focus on bipartisanship, accountability and bringing Iowans relief from rising costs. Sand enters the race with more than $8 million on hand, much of it from family contributions.
Iowa Democrat and current State Auditor Rob Sand is officially running for governor in 2026.
In an interview ahead of his formal announcement Monday, Sand said Iowa needs leadership rooted in service — not partisanship — and promised to bring a collaborative approach to the state’s highest office.
"We need to get back to public service over partisanship and over politics," Sand said. "Iowans are facing rising costs everywhere I go ... and [state leaders] are over here making it harder for us to find out when their tax dollars are misspent. It's time for change."
If elected, Sand says his top policy priorities would include tackling rising costs for Iowans, restoring oversight in state government and investing in public education and natural resources. Sand also supports funding the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund and reversing what he calls a “brain drain” by making Iowa more attractive to young people and families.
Sand enters the race with a hefty war chest. He's announced he's raised more than $8 million in campaign contributions, most of which came from his or his extended family's pockets.
Republicans were quick to criticize Sand Monday morning.
"Iowa Democrats' anointed king, Rob Sand, will undoubtedly be just another out-of-touch liberal pushing a radical agenda on our great state," Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said in a statement. "Our state needs a governor who will fight for low taxes, family-first values, and freedom from government overreach ー not some left-wing elitist who is more interested in being a social media influencer than doing the job he was elected to do."
WATCH: Democrat Rob Sand launches campaign for Iowa governor
Emphasizing bipartisanship, efficiency and accountability
A former public corruption prosecutor, Sand rose to statewide office in 2018 and was re-elected as Iowa’s only Democratic statewide officeholder in 2022. He touts a record of bipartisan hiring and launching a government efficiency initiative—PIE (Public Innovations and Efficiencies) — which he says has saved taxpayers millions and been replicated in other states.
Sand said his administration would seek to reverse recent legislative efforts that limited the oversight powers of the auditor’s office. He also pointed to his track record having a senior leadership team comprised of people from different political parties.
He said he has promoted people repeatedly in the office that had made campaign contributions to his 2018 Republican opponent. Sand said, if elected, he'd bring that same approach to leading the state.
"This campaign for governor will be about being a governor for all," Sand said. "I don't want to be a party leader. I want to be a public servant."
Full interview: Iowa Democratic state auditor Rob Sand tells vlog why he's running for governor
Campaigning as a moderate in a red state
With Iowa trending Republican in the last several election cycles, Sand acknowledged the challenge ahead. He said he’s confident he can win over voters across party lines, pointing to his reelection victory as state auditor in 2022. That year that made him the only statewide elected Democrat in Iowa.
"The Iowans that we're talking about — who voted for Donald Trump then me, then Donald Trump, then me, then Donald Trump — I think they'll vote for me again," Sand said. "They know me. They know that my approach to things is not really Democratic. It's not Republican either."
He pointed to his small-town upbringing in Decorah, his love of hunting and fishing, his gun ownership and his Christian faith as parts of his identity that don’t align with partisan labels. Sand said he believes that political parties don’t deserve their “shared monopoly” and vowed to be honest about the limitations of any one ideology.
A contrast to current leadership
Sand’s entry into the race follows Republican Governor Kim Reynolds’ announcement that she will not seek a third term.
Sand said he was surprised by her decision but that the wide-open race won't change his campaign approach. At least a half dozen Iowa Republicans have suggested they are considering a run for governor. That includes Attorney General Brenna Bird; Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig; House Speaker Pat Grassley, grandson of the state's senior U.S. senator; and Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, son of the state GOP's chairman.
Brad Sherman, a pastor and former state representative from Eastern Iowa, is the only Republican officially in the race.
While praising Reynolds’ public service, Sand criticized the current administration’s decision-making — particularly the 2024 law that reformed Iowa’s Area Education Agencies.
"How does this administration, this legislature, these leaders gut the AEA 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?" Sand said.
"It wasn't something that had been identified to have tremendous problems. They just went and did it because this tiny little group of people wanted to. That, to me, is the opposite of how that should work, both according to the Constitution and democracy, but also according to my faith," he added.
Sand said, if elected, he would prioritize public input on all policy priorities before making a decision.
Looking ahead to 2026
The race for governor is still more than a year away. Sand and Sondra Wilson are the first Democrats to formally launch campaigns. Sand said his next steps include holding public, open events across all 99 counties and focusing on listening to Iowans — regardless of political affiliation.
"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," Sand said."
He said his goal is to run a campaign that brings people together and focuses on shared concerns like rising costs, education and government accountability.