Iowa's next governor Rob Sand unpacks his political philosophy: "Right wing, left wing, same bird"

Democrat Rob Sand won Iowa's governor's race Tuesday, defeating Republican Zach Lahn. Before the race was decided, he described his approach to governing this way: "Right wing, left wing, same bird."

Sand, Iowa's state auditor, spoke with CBS News' Lana Zak in Iowa City. He argued that politics works better when people stop treating the other side as the enemy.

"Both parties really want everyone to just be mad at the other side because then it's easier to control them and it's easier to win power," Sand said. "And I think that's wrong."

The idea shows up at his campaign events. Sand said he sings "America the Beautiful" at town halls, a tradition he started on his own without asking anyone. Because the crowds often include people from several parties, he said, he first asks everyone to applaud attendees from other political parties.

"So you're literally being asked to clap for what most politicians want you to think of as your enemy," Sand said. "But what I'm trying to remind you is actually just the other half, right, right wing, left wing, same bird."

His campaign signs and T-shirts carry a similar message: "Not redder or bluer, better and truer."

Independents and the two-party system

Asked whether he would rather be an independent than a Democrat, Sand said, "I would love to do that," though he said it isn't realistic. He said his parents were registered independents and that he registered as one himself the first time he registered to vote.

Asked whether he is a standard bearer for the Democratic Party, he answered, "No." He said he hopes leaders in both parties look at his campaign and go, "oh, that worked."

He used the toothpaste aisle to make the point. "Everybody knows we can handle more than two options," Sand said, noting that voters sort through plenty of choices in a store. Sand questioned why someone would be comfortable with myriad choices in the supermarket but settle for only two choices when it's "an actually important choice."

Ending what he called the "two choice system" would have to happen state by state, Sand said, because states set the rules for ballot access and voting.

Working with a Republican legislature

Sand said he is prepared to work with a Republican legislature, which he said means every budget and bill will need bipartisan support. He said that would leave the far left and far right upset and "the vast majority of us" thinking the result looks fine.

He said he would not spend time on culture war legislation. "I'm going to veto those bills," Sand said, adding that his focus would be cancer, water quality, the economy and public education.

He also said he wants more regulation of politicians, pointing to Iowa's independent redistricting commission and its merit-based system for nominating judges as examples of nonpartisan accountability.

Record as auditor

Sand pointed to his time as auditor as proof that the approach works. He said that after winning in 2018 he put an independent and a Republican who had donated to his opponent into the office's most senior positions.

He also said the Democratic National Committee twice asked his office for records of allegations of wrongdoing by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, and that his office turned down both requests. "We're not supposed to give you that," he said he told them.

Education and "solving the world's problems"

Sand said Iowa ranked fifth in education in 2018 and has since fallen to the bottom half, behind Nebraska. He also cited rising cancer rates. He blamed one-party control, which he said gives "a tiny number of people" too much power for too long.

He said Iowans already know a better way, describing his grandfather's coffee groups in Decorah and his mother's knitting and sewing groups. "They don't take party ID," he said of those groups. Iowans have a phrase for what happens there, he said: "solving the world's problems."

"Nobody has a monopoly on good ideas," Sand said.

Asked what is best about Iowa, he said the people. "We have not been a right versus left state," Sand said. "We've been a right versus wrong state."

Sand's hair came up as the interview wrapped. Zak told him it had gotten "floppy," and he said that's a bad thing, though he hadn't done anything to it. His appearance has drawn attention since his win for another reason. Vogue reported that he walked runways for Prada and other fashion houses while he was a student at Brown University. 

Vogue asked followers on Instagram whether they knew he once modeled for Prada, and a verified account for Sand replied in the comments Thursday: "Yes, I knew that."