Rob Sand ’05.5, a former opinions contributor for The Herald, won the Iowa gubernatorial election, defeating Republican nominee Zach Lahn, the Associated Press called on Tuesday night.
After he graduated from Brown with a degree in political science, Sand returned to his home state and received his law degree at the University of Iowa College of Law. He worked on campaigns for Iowans Ed Fallon and Denise O’Brien before becoming Assistant Iowa Attorney General in 2010. In 2018, he was elected State Auditor, which he served for two terms. He announced his candidacy for governor in May 2025 with no competitors in the primaries.
According to his campaign website, Sand’s priorities include strengthening the state’s economy and public education, decreasing costs and helping “Iowans live better, healthier lives.” Much of his campaign drew from the work he did as state auditor to uncover cases of fraud and abuse in the state.
Sand promises that, as governor, he will protect taxpayers’ money. He has also pledged to create more job opportunities, invest in universal Pre-K and hold big corporations and data centers accountable to Iowa taxpayers.
Throughout his campaign, Sand has emphasized that although he is running as a Democrat, he is primarily running as an Iowan, often expressing his disinterest in the two-party system. In May, Elaine Godfrey wrote in The Atlantic that “one gets the impression that Sand is a Democrat in the same way that a platypus is a mammal: only technically.”
In a Tuesday Instagram post, Sand reiterated his belief in Iowans and called on them to vote. “Now is our time to win this race,” Sand said in the video. “Now is our time to reshape the direction of the state of Iowa. Now is our time to restore an Iowa tradition of balanced government and common sense.”
Rebecca Goodman is an arts & culture and university news editor covering career and alumni. She is a senior from Cambridge, MA, studying English. Outside of writing, you can find her at the Avon or in the basement of the Rock.
