The False Moderates, Part 3: Dems Want to Turn Iowa into Illinois, And They’ve Found the Perfect Candidate

The Iowa governor’s race is heating up, which means liberals are throwing their weight behind State Auditor Rob Sand, attempting to mold him into a moderate despite his radical views.

Far-left donors, advisers, and legacy media outlets have finally caught on: They realize their radical agenda will fail miserably in the Midwest if they share it openly.

Sand’s carefully crafted image as a flag-saluting, new-breed independent is no accident. It’s all part of a larger plan.

Sand, who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination, wants everyone to know that he hunts and frequently reads the Bible. He’s also partial to singing “America the Beautiful” at town halls to remind everyone he’s a patriot. Subtle much?

In reality, his agenda is far from moderate and light-years from “America First.”

Let’s begin with a leaked audio clip from June. Sand proposed changes to the state’s judiciary to make it less political, but added that the reforms would be delayed, allowing him to take vengeance on the GOP.

“Here’s the thing, I want them to send me that bill reversing those changes, and it will have an effective date of the end of my first term as governor,” he said. “Because they need to take their medicine on that one, don’t they?”

🚨LEAKED AUDIO: @RobSandIA says his proposed changes to state government will only happen AFTER his term because Republicans need to, “take their medicine.”

Sand preaches “better and truer,” but behind closed doors promises retribution. #iagov pic.twitter.com/HHwGd0IS1p

— Iowa Field Report.com (@IAFieldReport) June 10, 2026

Sand’s tone alone is cause for concern. A new-age moderate doesn’t smugly stir the pot and promise payback like an insolent child. That’s more in line with Democratic Socialists.

Moreover, he became so partisan as state auditor that the legislature passed statutory limits on Sand’s powers in 2023, signaling excessive overreach.

When it comes to parental rights, Sand wants to eliminate taxpayer-funded school choice and use the money to pay for universal preschool. This sounds strikingly similar to policies pushed by New York City’s far-left Mayor Zorhan Mamdani, and is an obvious nod to his teacher union buddies. It appears children are worth investing in, so long as they remain under the government’s thumb.

This is hypocrisy of the highest order. It also proves he’s beholden to those who push liberal propaganda onto children for a living. In April, he spoke to an Iowa teachers’ union and called educators his “secret weapon,” while encouraging them to use their community status to sway voters, specifically moderate Republicans.

Sand is in favor of reversing private Medicaid management in Iowa because, as we all know, the government is great at overseeing health care.

On elections, Sand is advocating for a cluttered and confusing new ballot structure called “approval voting.” It makes the nightmarish system of ranked-choice voting look organized by comparison, and his explanation was pure nonsense. Their likely goal is to dilute the vote and cause so much chaos that Democrats have a better shot at winning.

Just because something is new doesn’t mean it’s better, but Sand wants you to think he’s an innovator, not a socialist in disguise.

During a September 2025 interview with the local magazine “Little Village,” he promised to veto “stupid culture-war-Trump” bills passed by the legislature. What does that mean exactly?

It appears he’s keeping certain stances vague to avoid alienating heartland voters. But when it counts, where will his allegiances lie? Will he suddenly “evolve” and become another Abigail Spanberger of Virginia?

Just like Spanberger, he’s likely to abandon his moderate positions and break hard-left, but only after seizing power.

Instead of delivering the unity he’s constantly preaching about, his election would cause immediate gridlock, bringing Iowa to a screeching halt.

Much like Arizona’s Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, Sand would act as an automatic veto and issue executive orders in line with the liberal donor class.

The media is already fawning over Sand and running cover to boost his image. Politico dubbed him the “Democratic deer hunter,” while The Atlantic framed him as a down-to-earth father who is “well positioned for victory.”

It’s a common bait-and-switch tactic, just like that of James Talarico in Texas and several others whom the Western Journal will be profiling.

Not to mention, a Democratic victory here would snap the GOP’s gubernatorial winning streak dating back to 2010. This is a state that voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024. If Sand prevails, it would signal that Iowa is back in play for 2028, dealing a devastating blow to Republicans.

Iowans need a leader focused on individual freedoms, less government, lower taxes, and family values, not a progressive politician who uses Midwestern hobbies as a shield against accountability.

Voters must look past the shining media profiles and evaluate Sand on his true beliefs. If you judge him on his past actions, rather than his recent performance art, it becomes abundantly clear that he is a radical liberal.

His agenda would set Iowa back by a decade and give credibility to a movement that has gone off the rails, harming all of America in the process.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.