Sand tries shedding labels to win in red Iowa

State Auditor Rob Sand is running to win the Democratic nomination for governor. But he doesn’t have to like it.

“Labels are just tools for deciding whether or not you’re in somebody’s tribe or not,” Sand said during a town hall in Waukee last month, according to Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau reporter Maya Marchel Hoff.

“In the state of Iowa, if you want to vote in a primary, you have to pick your poisons. So what did I do? I picked my poison … We should be talking about the fact that no matter what your party is, partisanship in this state and in this country has gone too far,” Sand said.

Sand favors banning pop and other junk food from being paid for with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program bucks. Hey, so does Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. He would go further, taking aim at sweets made with flour.

When asked by conservative radio host Simon Cowell if “biological boys or men should play women’s sports,” Sand said simply, “No.”

He said there are some Republicans who are easier to work with than members of his own party who want to “throw bombs or say mean words,” Sand said. He did not provide a list of bomb-throwing meanies.

Sand leads his audiences in the singing of “America the Beautiful,” and his campaign slogan is “Governor for All.”

Surprise! Sand is running as a dependable moderate. He’s courting independents and Republicans by reassuring them he’s no wild socialist. Sand knows he needs some crossover appeal to win in red Iowa. And he’s betting that won’t hurt his standing with Democrats, who would vote for a purple 1971 Gremlin if it could end the Republican trifecta and stop the madness.

It may be the only way a Democrat can win.

His strategy is getting attention, from Republicans.

Conservative Christian crusader Bob Vander Plaats called him “a very real opponent” at the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale, according to the Des Moines Register.

“Churchgoer, gun toter, state auditor, taxpayers’ watchdog. Sounds a little bit like us, right?” Vander Plaats said on July 9, arguing Sand will have a “common sense” agenda and a lot of money.

Sand sounds like other Democratic governors in red states.

Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has focused successfully on the state’s economy and reviving its public education system after a fiscal crisis sparked by massive tax cuts favored by her Republican predecessor. In Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear also has succeeded with a job-creation agenda. He talks about our partisan divide and sounds like Sand.

Beshear did veto bills aimed at LGBTQ Kentuckians, including bans on gender-affirming treatment and transgender girls playing girls’ sports. Republicans overrode his vetoes. Still, Beshear beat a Trump-backed challenger in 2023.

Sand’s “no labels” approach is going to disappoint some Democrats who have battled in the trenches and now are faced with the prospect of voting for a candidate who wants to cooperate with Republicans, who will likely hold control of the Legislature. Their enthusiasm will be turned down a few notches.

Sand has sidestepped questions about Iowa’s dirty water, leading people who care about the issue to believe a change is not going to come. It’s one example.

Enthusiasm will rise if Sand looks like a winner. He has plenty of stances consistent with Democrats and has clashed repeatedly with Reynolds. He’s traveling around Iowa to define himself for voters before Republicans get a chance to smear his record. There are real differences between the parties that Sand must navigate. He’ll have to pick sides.

Sooner or later, Sand’s approach will run headlong into Republicans eager to label the Democrat as a threat to Iowa’s future. His agenda will be twisted and repackaged by the GOP as some sort of commie woke takeover. It doesn’t have to be true.

As I’ve said before, this is a make-or-break election for Democrats. If Sand wins the nomination and becomes governor, Democrats will no longer be powerless. If the nominee loses, it’s back to the wilderness for several more years.

So, pick your poison wisely.

(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com