State Auditor Rob Sand

Rob Sand is often considered a top 2026 Iowa gubernatorial race contender. Wait, you say? We are in the final stage of the 2024 election, and I’m already talking about 2026?! Yeah, Rob Sand had a bit of the same reaction when I coaxed him to talk about his future ambitions. Sand is currently the only Democratic officeholder in state government. He was our guest on Potluck’s Monday Zoom call podcast this week. Sand is probably better known than any previous Iowa Auditor, not only for his work but because of his command of social media for his thoughts on waste, fraud, and abuse in government, as well as which Iowa convenience chain offers the best breakfast (!?) pizza. Rob Sand has been the Iowa State Auditor since January 2019. He gained attention for his focus on fighting government waste and rooting out corruption. Before becoming state auditor, he worked as an Assistant Attorney General for Iowa, where he led the state’s prosecution of financial crimes and high-profile fraud cases, such as the “Iowa Lottery Hot Lotto scandal.”As the Auditor, Sand’s responsibilities include overseeing government financial operations and ensuring that public funds are used appropriately. His work also includes audits of state and local government agencies and investigating complaints of fraud, waste, or abuse.Sand and Governor Kim Reynolds are frequently at odds. She signed a bill to make documents off-limits to the auditor’s office, adding layers of red tape to access the data he needs to determine if taxpayer money is being spent following the law. After all, that is the job of a state auditor. Obfuscating how public money is spent seems to be a problem here in recent years. One of Reynold’s signature legislative acts required taxpayer dollars to be given to parents for private school tuition, which is not subject to state scrutiny. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript for more. You’ll hear him answer Laura Belin’s question about the timing of a future run for office, and a question by John Hale about an audit that raised concerns about the state's handling of nursing home inspections. He was reluctant to talk about political issues outside the scope of his current role as State Auditor. Still, it will be interesting to follow this bright, young, rising officeholder when it is time for him to declare his next move. Monday, noon., October 7Our next Monday Zoom lunch guest is YOU. What’s on your mind? The Iowa Writers’ CollaborativeHey, are you receiving the roundup of columns, a collection of extraordinary writers who share an interest in the state of Iowa? If you haven’t already subscribed, please do. 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