(Atlantic) — Rob Sand, Democratic candidate for Governor, continued his 100 Town Hall Tour across Iowa on Monday with a stop at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. Sand appeared in Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, Cass, and finished off the day in Adair County. The focus of Sand’s tour is to listen to Iowans’ top concerns and share his vision for lowering costs, increasing government accountability, and improving the health and quality of life for all Iowans.
Sand currently serves as Iowa’s State Auditor, first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. His key priorities include conducting financial and performance audits of state agencies, counties, cities, and schools; investigating the misuse of public funds; and working to strengthen government accountability and efficiency.
Sand said the first step when things are headed in the wrong direction is to stop, and elect a Governor who’s willing to stand up to their party, do what’s right, and veto divisive culture war legislation. He emphasized that the priority should be getting the state government back to focusing on what truly matters: improving Iowans’ bottom line.
Sand highlighted the rising cost of living, noting that just two weeks ago, someone told him their health insurance premiums are increasing by 13 percent, and others reported hikes as high as 15 percent. He criticized state leaders in Des Moines for ignoring economic issues, saying it’s reflected in the numbers: Iowa ranks 49th in economic growth and 48th in personal income. Sand says the most significant concern amongst citizens is their bottom line.
When it comes to education, Sand supports public schools. Sand says the vouchers law, as it stands, along with gutting the Auditor’s Office, are the two biggest invitations to waste, fraud, and abuse of tax dollars in Iowa’s history.
Sand explained ways he would solve the economic issue. Number #1: The state needs to treat cannabis the same way it treats alcohol. He says this provides an opportunity in many different directions.
Sand, 42, is a Decorah High School graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Brown University and a law degree from the University of Iowa. He and his wife, a native of the Denison area, have two sons, ages 11 and nearly 9. Sand says he grew up hunting, fishing, and attending church—activities he still enjoys today.
