Eight Days to Election Day: Governor candidate Rob Sand Sits Down with Black Des Moines leaders

About 50 Black community leaders, including a physician, elected officials, ministers and CEOs, attended a Fireside Chat held Monday at the historic Willkie House near downtown Des Moines, featuring gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand, a Democrat.

Dr. Wanakee Carr, one of the state’s three Black OB/GYNs, pushed Sand and his staff for the meeting with Des Moines’ Black community leaders after speaking with him at a fundraising event.

“I wish this was earlier in the election cycle,” she said. “We wanted to make sure that Black voices were heard.”

During the event, moderated by State Reps. Ross Willburn and Rob Johnson, both Democrats, Sand answered questions and discussed his stance on housing, health care, small business support and public education.

Sand, 44, who is state auditor, said he supports interest-free loans for first-time homebuyers, capping the price of insulin, importing cheaper prescription drugs from Canada to combat price gouging and loan forgiveness programs for degree-earners, like physicians, who commit to practicing in Iowa.

He criticized the privatization of Medicaid and reducing the pay of advanced teachers to find ways to increase salaries for new teachers.

Sand, who expressed strong support for public schools, said both his children attend Des Moines schools.

Water quality and its connection to Iowa’s rising cancer rates are big campaign issues. Sand said he supports fixes such as wetland restoration and land improvements. He also mentioned concerns about Iowa’s high radon rates. Radon, an odorless gas that can get trapped in homes, is linked to health issues and lung cancer, he said.

Ten years of one-party control is contrary to the “Iowa tradition” of a divided government where both parties work together because one chamber might be Democratic, and the other Republican, and the governor either or, which requires both sides to work together, he said.

“We are 10 years into not doing that, and it shows,” he said to applause.

Johnson discussed a young Black mother whose child died after she was repeatedly told by different health care providers that the child was fine. He asked how Sand could ensure Black women receive the health care they need. Sand pointed to studies that show Black women’s pain isn’t taken seriously.

“Knowing that is the first step towards solving it because you’ve got to have people who are in decision-making who are in that ER, who are aware of that,” he said.

Community activist Laurel Clinton told Sand her friend’s son is autistic and can’t get the services he needs because his working mother can’t afford her employer plan but doesn’t qualify for Medicaid.

Sen. Renee Hardman asked Sand to make sure state boards and commissions contain more people of color, which is something that “Reynolds did not do,” she said.

“And I’m all for you, Rob. We need you in the governor’s seat,” Hardman said. “You said that you’re going to veto all cultural wars. You need to say that in your summary because that’s important to us.”

“I’m going to veto all culture war bills,” Sand said to applause.

Weslyn Caldwell, the Willkie House’s executive director, asked Sand what he would do regarding education and Des Moines Public Schools.

“I want to tell you my faith is a huge motivator in my life and part of the reason that I have always been insistent that no matter who I am or who I ended up with, that my children would go to public schools is becuase that is your one opportunity to get to understand every person made in the image of God in your community,” he said.

Sand added: “We’re not going to see investments in Iowa public schools from the same party that has underfunded them for a decade, that has disrespected them for a decade.”

The election is Nov. 3. Sand’s opponent is Republican Zach Lahn.

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