Rob Sand and Zach Lahn hold first Iowa gubernatorial debate

Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand and Republican candidate Zach Lahn participated in their first debate at St. Ambrose University in Davenport. The candidates addressed several key issues, including public education, the state economy, agriculture, taxes, and rising cancer rates in Iowa.

Regarding economic development, the candidates discussed a proposed $15 billion steel plant in Lee County. Sand argued that state incentives must be tied to specific investments and benchmarks to ensure they benefit Iowans, citing sluggish economic growth. Lahn described the project as potentially transformational but suggested the Economic Development Authority should prioritize homegrown businesses over large out-of-state projects like data centers.

This debate is part of a series of scheduled discussions for October. Additional gubernatorial debates between Sand and Lahn are set for October 14, October 21, and October 27, providing voters further opportunities to evaluate their policy proposals ahead of the November 3 election.