Iowa Democrat Rob Sand: Kamala Harris Should Not Run Again
The Democratic candidate for Iowa governor said he doesn't want Harris or Biden campaigning for him and called for 'new leadership.'
Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee for governor of Iowa, gave a blunt answer to a question many national Democrats have avoided: should Kamala Harris run for president again?
"Nope," Sand told Politico columnist Jonathan Martin.
Sand, the state auditor hoping to flip Iowa back to Democratic control this November, also said he would not want former President Joe Biden or Harris campaigning for him in the state, where he needs support from independent and Republican voters to win.
Asked if he'd want Biden to campaign for him, Sand replied, "Can he even do that right now?" Asked about Harris, he said, "No thanks," adding, "We need some new leadership."
Many prominent national Democrats have dodged the question of whether Harris should run again, saying it's her decision or that the 2028 field is too far off to discuss. Harris, who lost the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump, has said only that she has "not made a decision."
Sand's comments echo those of Mary Peltola, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Alaska, who similarly rejected an unsolicited fundraising email Harris sent on her behalf. Peltola's campaign said she "isn't seeking endorsements from anyone from the Lower 48."
Sand said his focus is on Iowa issues that distinguish him from his Republican opponent, Zach Lahn. He also said no when asked if he would ever run for president or accept a vice-presidential nomination.
"You're asking a guy who was a registered independent first," Sand said. "I don't tend to like the party politics stuff. I think that we have a fundamentally broken two-choice political system... My inclination is that I want it to be shaken up."
This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), in accordance with our editorial policy.
