Iowa Gubernatorial Candidate Rejects Harris’s 2028 Bid

Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee for governor of Iowa and state auditor since 2019, told Politico that former Vice President Kamala Harris should not run for president in 2028. When asked whether he would welcome former President Joe Biden or Harris campaigning for him in Iowa, Sand answered “No thanks” and added, “We need some new leadership.” He also criticized the two-party system, saying it is “fundamentally broken” and that both parties “are not solving enough problems.”

The GuardianThe Hill

Harris, who lost the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump, has not confirmed a future candidacy, noting only in April that she “might” run again and that she is “thinking about it” while speaking to Rev. Al Sharpton at the National Action Network’s annual convention. Sand’s comments come as Democrats seek to flip Iowa, a state that has not elected a Democratic governor since Chet Culver twenty years ago.

The Guardian

A Suffolk University poll shows Sand leading Republican businessman Zach Lahn with 48 percent support to Lahn’s 44 percent, a margin within the poll’s 4.4-point error range. The race pits Sand against Lahn to succeed outgoing Governor Kim Reynolds (R).

The Hill

Harris has not issued a formal response to Sand’s remarks. Other national Democrats have largely avoided commenting, framing the question as Harris’s personal decision.

The Guardian

• “You’re asking a guy who was a registered independent first,” — Rob Sand

The Guardian

• “You can put something in a place, and it does OK for a little while. But if it’s there for too long, it gets unbalanced,” — Rob Sand

The Hill

• “No. Can he even do that right now? I’m sorry,” — Rob Sand

The Hill