COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (Sept. 18, 2026) — Vice President JD Vance closed a Republican midterm rally here Friday with a roughly seven-minute attack on Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand, casting the state auditor as too far left and a lifelong “partisan Democrat” despite Sand’s moderate branding, The Hill reported.

Sand is leading in several polls in the race to succeed Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. An Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media survey released earlier this month showed Sand ahead of Republican nominee Zach Lahn 49 percent to 46 percent. Lahn attended the rally with Vance; the event was held as Iowa’s open Senate seat and governor’s race both draw national attention.

“Look in the damn mirror, Rob”

Vance accused Sand of complaining about partisanship while donating to and working for “far left, Democratic causes.”

“He wants to make sure you hear him groaning about partisanship,” Vance told supporters, according to The Hill. “He’ll say ‘Why do we even need labels’; that’s what he says. But it’s a strange thing to complain about from a guy who has spent his entire life working for and donating to far left, Democratic causes. If partisanship is a problem, and it is, the first place is to look in the damn mirror, Rob, because you’ve been a partisan Democrat your whole life.”

Vance also hit Sand on transgender athletes in women’s sports, abortion, and the Green New Deal, framing the choice as “common sense versus crazy” and urging voters to “not send not just Rob Sand but the entire Democrat Party a message: Check the crazy at the door, and learn to fight for Americans for a change.”

Senate competitiveness; Hinson absent

Associated Press reported Vance’s Friday trip as his second Iowa visit this year for midterm majorities, headlining the Council Bluffs rally on the state’s western edge. Republican U.S. Senate nominee Rep. Ashley Hinson did not attend, citing previously scheduled events; she faces a tight race against Democrat state Rep. Josh Turek. The same Emerson/Nexstar poll showed Turek leading Hinson 46–44. Vance still gave Hinson a shoutout from the stage.

The AP also noted Council Bluffs sits in the 4th Congressional District being vacated by Rep. Randy Feenstra, and that Vance’s earlier May Iowa stop backed endangered incumbent Rep. Zach Nunn — underscoring how competitive statewide tickets look in a state long treated as a Republican stronghold.

Dated Friday, Sept. 18, 2026: Vance ~7-minute censure of Sand at Council Bluffs; Lahn present; Hinson absent; Emerson Sand 49–46 Lahn; Turek 46–44 Hinson.

Sources