In a recent interview with Politico, Iowa Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand definitively pushed back on the idea of former Vice President Kamala Harris running for president once again.
Sand, who has saved as Iowa’s state auditor since 2019, has attempted to portray himself as a “moderate” while attempting to become the first Democrat to win a gubernatorial election in the state since 2011. He faces Republican businessman Zach Lahn in the race to succeed outgoing Republican Governor Kim Reynolds.
While speaking with Politico’s Jonathan Martin at the Iowa State Fair, Sand was asked whether he would be interested in the idea of former President Joe Biden coming to campaign with him. “No. Can he even do that right now?” Sand replied.
His answer was similar when he was asked about the prospect of Harris campaigning with him as well. “No thanks. Let’s move on. We need some new leadership.” Martin then asked, “You don’t think Harris should run in 2028?” Martin added, to which Sand replied with a definitive “no.”
Martin followed up by asking Sand’s view on the best option for Democrats in 2028, including whether a governor or someone not from Washington, D.C., should be the nominee. “You got my gut reaction on a couple. I don’t know what the answer to that is. I got an election in 75 days. We just had news this week about this cancer vaccine for skin cancer, and my opponent wants to ban vaccines like that. I’m pretty focused on what we’ve got going on right here in Iowa. Those are conversations for down the road,” Sand responded.
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Rob Sand on a Kamala Harris 2028 run: “Nope.”
Sand could become Iowa’s first Dem governor in two decades, but he’s not interested in help on the campaign trail from prominent party names like Harris or Biden.
Watch his full interview with our @jmart: https://t.co/08NH2EzXGB pic.twitter.com/nTPRSmIWiG
— POLITICO (@politico) August 26, 2026
Despite Sand’s opposition, multiple national polls of a potential 2028 Democratic presidential primary conducted in the months leading up to and around late August have shown Harris receiving the highest share of support among named potential candidates. Aggregators such as RealClearPolling listed an average of 24.6 percent for Harris in polls from early July to late August 2026, ahead of Gavin Newsom at 15.2 percent and other figures.
