Auditor Rob Sand running for reelection, rules out gubernatorial bid

Sand is seeking a second term as auditor.

Nick Rohlman

Democratic candidate for State Auditor Rob Sand speaks during the Progress Iowa Corn Feed in Bondurant Iowa on Sunday, September 16, 2018.

Natalie Dunlap, Politics Editor
December 7, 2021

State Auditor Rob Sand will not run for Iowa governor in 2022, he announced on Tuesday. 

Instead, Sand is seeking a second term in his current position. 

In his announcement video, Sand said his office is partnering with local entities through the Public Innovations and Efficiencies Program and working to unlock money in taxpayer savings. 

“Those are great things to be doing, I’m really proud to be doing them, and I want to keep doing them,” Sand said. 

Sand had been publicly considering a run for Iowa governor. 

I didn’t run for office because I love politics, I ran for office because I can’t stand it,” he said. “Too many people are putting partisan ahead of the public interest.”

Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, has not formally announced her reelection campaign, but when former President Donald Trump hosted a rally in Des Moines in October, he hinted that he would be endorsing her in the future. 

Other Democrats have emerged as gubernatorial candidates. Rep. Ras Smith, D-Waterloo, became the first person to announce their candidacy for governor for the 2022 election in June, and former Secretary of State candidate Deidre DeJear launched her campaign in August.