From what we can see, you hold more town halls than any elected official in the country. It's 100 every year, right? Why are they so important to you?
Yes – 100 town halls every year, in all 99 counties plus the two county seats in Lee County. I’m big on accountability, and I think public service is about being accountable to those you represent. By holding town halls, anyone can come in and ask me whatever they want and hear from me directly.
I think all elected officials should do this. So much so that I’ve proposed making town halls mandatory for elected officials in Iowa if I’m elected. This used to be an Iowa tradition, but our elected officials over the last several years haven’t kept up with it. I want to get back to that tradition. It’s like a performance review from the people you’re elected to represent. I think if elected officials were required to do town halls, they’d think twice before voting for things that hurt the people they represent.
Democrats in Iowa have struggled at the ballot box in the past few cycles, but you've been the exception. You've won statewide twice and are ahead in your race for governor in the public polls. Why do you think your message is resonating with Iowans?
Iowans are tired after a decade of one-party control that has left us with a failing economy, public schools under attack, and rising cancer rates. Iowans are ready for change and to elect a leader who puts them first. That’s what I’ve done over my two terms as State Auditor, and it’s what I’ll do as governor. But more than that: I'm focused on the brokenness of our two-choice political system. Neither party is knocking it out of the park when it comes to solving problems for people, and I think if we had more than two realistic options on the ballot, we could have real accountability that would get us results.
Cost of living is top of mind for most voters across the country. As Governor, what would you do to address it?
This is something I hear about everywhere I go on my town hall tour: costs are skyrocketing, and Iowans can’t keep up. I released a plan to lower costs for Iowans and make life more affordable. On day one, I’ll begin the process of ending Medicaid privatization, which has been a disaster in Iowa. This will help lower health care costs for patients and providers. I’ll work to lower prescription drug costs, protect Iowans from medical debt, and expand the “Surprise Bill” law. I’ll cut unnecessary red tape to help build more housing and make down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers interest-free, lower energy costs, invest in Iowa’s homegrown renewable energy, and use federal funds for universal pre-K and school meals to put more money back in parents’ pockets.
With school starting up again, you have a couple of campaign ads out about education. Why is it an important issue for you to talk about?
When I was growing up in Decorah, Iowa’s education rankings were always some of the top in the nation. We were so proud of our public schools that we put it on our quarter – “Foundation in Education.” Now, we’re somewhere in the middle of the pack. I’m a proud product of Iowa public schools, and now my kids go to Iowa public schools. I want to make sure that they – and all Iowa kids – have access to the best public education possible and that we restore our state’s status as one of the best for education in the country.
Has there been a story you heard from a voter on the campaign trail that really stuck with you?
There are too many to count. But last week in Albia, I had an audience member say that their brother is a Republican and wanted to be at our event, but was in the hospital fighting stage four lung cancer. He had never smoked, never was around anyone that smoked, and didn’t know how he could’ve gotten it. He wanted to know what I could do to prevent what he was going through.
We are losing people in this state because our current leaders have ignored this problem for too long. As governor, I’ve proposed an achievable plan to address our cancer crisis. We can make the changes we need to address this problem – because Iowans deserve the chance to live healthier lives. (You can read Rob’s full plan, “A Healthier Iowa for All.”)
Learn more about Rob’s campaign here.
(Photo: Rob Sand, via Rob Sand for Iowa Facebook)