IA-GOV: Iowa Governor's Race Moves to Lean Republican.

[RandySF]

Cook Political Report: “Democratic Auditor Rob Sand threw his hat in the ring for Iowa governor on Monday, elevating a Republican-held seat to a new competitive tier. Sand, 42, is the lone Democrat holding statewide office in Iowa and easily the strongest contender his party could have recruited for the open seat.”

“His candidacy warrants a rare ‘double jump’ rating change, shifting this contest from Solid Republican to Lean Republican.”





https://politicalwire.com/2025/05/12/iowa-governors-race-is-suddenly-competitive/

[Demovictory9]

1. Good

[msongs]

2. yeah and Harris was gonna win big in Iowa lol nt

[Bettie]

3. Rob Sand is popular here

he's an honest guy and has been a great auditor. So much so that Reynolds had to get a law passed keeping him from looking at the books of state departments.

[DFW]

5. I take it you've never met Rob

He's a really smart, ultra-local rural Iowan who is witty, compassionate, and sharp as a razor blade. He is comfortable in "enemy" territory, and gets a LOT of local Des Moines TV time--mostly because he's entertaining to hear speak. He's from a rural corner of Iowa, a town with maybe 8000 people, and he both sounds and IS authentic. It comes across, and his public presence just destroys Republicans who think that because he looks half his age, he must have no more experience than someone half his age.

His big jump to public recognition was when he was an assistant prosecutor in Des Moines, and he was handed an unsolvable case involving a very sophisticated lottery fraud stretching over several states. The AG of Iowa didn't feel like bothering with it any more, so he gave it to Rob, figuring it would embarrass him by being unsolvable to him as well. Only, Rob kept at it, and eventually DID solve the case, putting the very surprised cheaters behind bars. The State Auditor's job may be small potatoes in some of the big industrial states, but in a rural state like Iowa, it's a much bigger deal. He did the job so well, the corrupt Republican regime enacted laws partially neutering the power of the State Auditor, for the sole reason that Rob Sand was doing the job he was elected to do.

Sure, he COULD lose. But people betting against Rob so far have all lost. He has great charisma and a "one of us" way about him that WILL play in Podunk--and Sioux City and Cedar Rapids, etc. He KNOWS the State, and he KNOWS the people in it. He also has a secret weapon the Republicans can't do anything about. He's just an immensely likeable guy, and comes across as FAR more trustworthy than the Iowa Republicans I've seen and met. His frequent TV interviews, whether on friendly or hostile TV, will only help him out.

Having known him for close to ten years, I'd venture to say that Charlie's Report was even being a bit cautious. Maybe the current numbers still say "lean Republican," but if Rob gets out there and works his people charm (backed by his sincerity and his competence, so he distinguishes himself from the local Republicans), I'd put my money on him in this race. His wife will be a not-so-secret weapon, too. Smart, successful, and eloquent in her own right, and unafraid to get before a camera. They make quite the dynamic duo.

[riversedge]

4. GO IOWA