(Radio Iowa) – Democrat Rob Sand says Zach Lahn — his Republican opponent in the governor’s race –should have run for governor of Kansas rather than Iowa. Lahn, a northwest Iowa native, says he moved back to Iowa in 2023 and he registered to vote in Iowa’s 2024 election. The Des Moines Register has reported Lahn flies back and forth to Wichita about once a week to see some of the children he and his wife have from previous marriages.
“I want to use the words that were his words when he talked to The Des Moines Register. He said if elected governor he’ll change his living situation to be in Iowa as much as humanly possible,” Sand said. “Most of us just live here.” Lahn told the newspaper blended families are complicated and the flights keep him connected to the couple’s children in Kansas.
“I don’t know why he’s not running for Kansas as governor. Iowans deserve a full-time governor. This is a big job. We need to have somebody who knows this state, who’s been across this state. I do 100 town halls every year,” Sand said. “I’m going to be here.” In Tuesday’s Primary, Lahn scored a narrow victory over Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra. Lahn, Feenstra and the three other Republicans who were running for governor have accused Sand of falsely claiming to be a moderate.
“I wish they would tell everybody that I have actually Iowa Republican donors than any of the Republicans that were running against me,” Sand said. Sand says he’s not a fan of the two-party system and has called for open primaries rather than requiring participants to be registered as a Republican or a Democrat in order to cast a ballot.
“I don’t like the two-choice system,” Sand said. “…I don’t think that most people are in love with either party. I know I’m not.” If Iowa were to have open primaries, Sand suggests that the top three or four vote getters advancing out of the Primary and the candidate with the most votes in the General Election would be the winner.
Sand made his comments this (Friday) morning during taping of the “Iowa Press” program that airs tonight at 7:30 on Iowa P-B-S. A spokesperson for Lahn was not immediately available for comment.
