Sand calls for bipartisanship, government accountability during campaign stop in Harlan

HARLAN — Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand urged Iowans to reject partisan politics and embrace bipartisan problem-solving during a campaign town hall at the C.G. Therkildsen Activity Centerin Harlan Thursday, July 2, telling approximately 70 attendees that Iowa’s biggest challenge is not a single policy issue but a political system that rewards division over cooperation.
“I think that we need to change that,” Sand said. “But the only way we’re going to change it is by rejecting the instruction from the people who want us to hate our neighbors.”
To illustrate his message, Sand asked  Republicans, Democrats and independent voters in attendance to identify themselves before leading the crowd in singing the first verse of “America the Beautiful.”
“Shouldn’t politics be like that all the time?” he asked afterward. “We can do better than what we’re doing right now.”
Sand, who is seeking the governor’s office after serving as state auditor, said Iowa has suffered from a decade of one-party control, arguing that it has weakened government accountability and contributed to slow economic growth, rising cancer rates and restrictions on the auditor’s authority.
“If I get elected, I’m going to be working with the Republican legislature,” Sand said. “That means that every budget that we pass, every bill that we pass, is going to have to have bipartisan support.”
Throughout the event, Sand emphasized restoring checks and balances in state government and said he believes politicians make better decisions when they work across party lines.
“Nobody is perfect. Neither party has a monopoly on good ideas,” he said.
Sand also proposed overhauling Iowa’s election system by creating a nonpartisan primary open to all voters, followed by an approval voting system in the general election.
“We should have one public primary,” he said. “We can call it the People’s Primary.”
He argued that such a system would encourage candidates to treat one another with respect rather than attack opponents.
“You mean to tell me that we can make politicians be kind and respectful by giving them a reason to do so?” Sand said.
Water quality and conservation were another major topic of discussion. Responding to a question from an attendee, Sand said Iowa should significantly expand wetlands, support conservation practices such as cover crops and bioreactors, and invest more in outdoor recreation.
“It really doesn’t sit right with me that now we have to think twice before we put our kids in a river or a lake in Iowa,” Sand said, noting recent beach closures caused by poor water quality.
He also defended farmers, saying many are eager to participate in conservation efforts but lack adequate state support.
“Farmers sign up for conservation programs in this state at a higher rate than politicians support those programs,” Sand said.
Education policy also drew discussion, particularly Iowa’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program.
Sand said he would seek stronger oversight of private schools receiving taxpayer dollars, including annual audits and spending guidelines similar to those required of public schools.
“If you want to take public money, you’ve got to take the public,” he said. “You can’t pick and choose.”
He also questioned providing ESA funding to wealthy families already able to afford private school tuition.
Healthcare and Medicaid privatization generated additional discussion. Sand criticized the state’s use of private managed care organizations, saying they have increased costs while denying care.
“I will reverse privatization,” Sand said of Iowa’s Medicaid system.
He cited an audit conducted by his office that found illegal denials of care increased significantly following privatization.
During a discussion on rural Iowa, Sand advocated expanding local and regional food systems, allowing more state employees to work remotely from rural communities and investing in community-driven economic development projects.
“We’ve got to be doing more to support local and regional food systems,” he said. “We’ve got to be doing more to support this.”
As the town hall concluded, Sand returned to the campaign theme that framed the event.
“If you want state government where every budget that gets passed and every law that gets passed is something where both parties said, ‘You know what? That’s a pretty good idea,’ then you belong in this campaign no matter what your party affiliation is,” he said.
“If we all work together, then we can make this state not redder or bluer, but better and truer.”