Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly spoke at an event at the Iowa State Education Association headquarters in Des Moines on October 8, 2026. Kelly said her tenure shows it is possible to be an effective Democratic governor while working with a GOP-controlled state Legislature. She noted that when she was first elected in 2018, Kansas faced a “very similar situation” to Iowa as the state experienced budget problems, including public schools being “chronically underfunded.” Since then, she said, Kansas has “fully funded our schools now for eight years in a row,” alongside making additional investments in public education and special education services.
Kelly said “none of this has been easy, and none of it happened because one party got its way.” She added, “It happened because we worked across the aisle and stayed focused on our schools. After two terms, I am proud to say we did get things back on track. We balanced our budget, we funded our schools every year, and we built records for business investment and job creation. … What does that prove? That with the laser focus on the issues that matter, you can turn things around. And Rob Sand is that leader.”
At the event, educators asked Sand, the current state auditor, what he would do to better support students and staff in Iowa’s public school system. They also asked Sand how he would address changes made in recent years to the state’s Area Education Agencies, which provide services for special education students. While he has said he would support a 5% increase to K-12 funding in his first year as governor, Sand also warned that he would not have the ability to reverse measures passed into law by GOP majorities, under the assumption that Republicans will continue to hold legislative majorities in Iowa.
Sand said, “I’m not going to be able to unilaterally undo things, and I’m not the kind of person who’s going to stand in front of you and make promises that I know that we have a constitutional system of self-governance that won’t let me keep that promise.” … “I know that might sound disappointing, but it’s the truth. Here’s the piece that’s really easy to say that is exciting. More bad bills that hit my desk, I can veto.”
Kelly also said Sand may be in a more advantageous position than herself if elected governor in the Nov. 3, 2026 election. While Kansas has Republican supermajorities in both chambers, Iowa currently has a supermajority in the House and a majority in the Senate. She said working across the aisle in her state became more difficult as “moderate Republicans” were replaced by “MAGA”-affiliated Republicans, but said she has still been able to build relationships across the aisle to accomplish common goals.
Kelly said, “It’s not been easy to get things done, but if somebody knows where they want to go, there are ways and there are people that you will find if you’re willing to talk and be willing to listen … and now you will be able to find those legislators who can modify their approach or their vote to get where you want to go.” “You know, it may have to be transactional. You have to make some deals, and do really what they want over here, so that you can get what you really need over her. But there are ways to do it, and I have no doubt, given Rob’s history as your auditor … the fact that many people have been willing to work with him bodes well.”
She criticized Iowa’s GOP gubernatorial candidate, Zach Lahn, for his approach to state education, while pointing to a regular criticism from the campaign trail that he “still has a home in Kansas” and frequently travels to the state.
