A Democrat in Name Only

Rob Sand, a 44-year-old Democratic candidate for governor from Iowa, is a familiar figure across the state. As the state auditor, he has made appearances in TV ads, Instagram posts, and even performed a rendition of "America the Beautiful" at a town hall. Despite his political position, Sand does not consider himself a proud Democrat, often referring to the party as "the lesser of two evils."

During a weeklong bike ride across Iowa, known as RAGBRAI, Sand stood out due to his distinctive bike helmet and lack of noticeable political signage. However, this very uniqueness made him a recognizable subject of admiration among the riders. People frequently sought selfies with him, often combining his first and last name into a single word, "Robsand."

Sand's campaign strategy for the upcoming gubernatorial election differs from his progressive counterparts. Rather than solely criticizing the two major political parties, he questions the entire concept of partisanship itself. According to Sand, our political system is broken, primarily because it is controlled by two private clubs that make voters feel trapped into choosing between two options. He believes that Iowa, with its history of working for ordinary people, can serve as a model for change.

Sand's inclusive vision for politics does not necessarily require party affiliation. He has proposed ideas such as an open-primary system and approval voting, which would allow Iowans to support more than one candidate. Despite being up against a potentially strong Republican candidate and the significant challenge of a nearly 200,000-person Republican majority in the state, Sand remains determined to convince Iowans that he can be trusted, even without the D behind his name.