Rob Sand to Iowa Democrats: Fight, but convince

DES MOINES — Rob Sand, the state auditor and possible candidate for governor, borrowed from former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in his remarks Tuesday during a progressive group’s annual fundraiser and training session.

“Fight for what you believe in, but do it in a way that will get other people to want to join you,” Sand said during the Progress Iowa Corn Feed, which was conducted online.

Iowa Democrats hope in the 2022 elections to reverse their political fortunes in a state that appears to be turning politically red. Iowa Republicans control the state lawmaking process with a Republican governor and majorities in the Iowa House and Senate, and hold five of the state’s six seats in Congress.

The top races in 2022 will be for governor and U.S. Senate. Both feature Republican incumbents: Kim Reynolds and Chuck Grassley, respectively.

“If we really care about this world and about making people’s lives better, as opposed to just ourselves and expressing ourselves, we have to be careful about where we express ourselves in a way that is going to be conducive to getting people to listen to us versus just venting,” Sand said in addressing the activists who joined the online event. “Venting is a necessary thing in the world. Vent at the right place at the right time. … Fight in a way that gets people to want to join you at the right time.”

Cindy Axne, who represents central and southwestern Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District and also is considering a run for governor, also spoke during the event. She talked about the need for Democrats to win in 2022 so Congress can continue to work to implement Democratic President Joe Biden’s infrastructure and budget proposals.

“(Biden’s) Build Back Better agenda isn’t about creating radical change. It’s about making sure everyone has what they need to survive in today’s competitive economy, and to make sure everyone has a fair shot at making a living,” Axne said.