“Iowans are great. Honestly, people love this state. They’re so proud to live here. They are so proud of our history,” State Auditor Rob Sand told Cornhole Champions host Zachary Oren Smith. “A lot of them are very frustrated with where we are right now, but they’re still here—they’re not running away.”
On this week’s episode, Zach spent a little time with Sand, who formally launched his campaign for governor on Monday, positioning himself as a Democrat who can bridge partisan divides in an increasingly Republican-dominated state. His campaign reported raising $2.25 million in just 24 hours — breaking state records for the most raised on the first day of any gubernatorial campaign in Iowa history.
Plus: Zach also sat down with Nico Agosta, a 25-year-old TikTok creator behind the viral “Stocking the Capitol” series. Nico grades the financial integrity of every member of Congress before the 2026 midterms, exposing stock trading and corporate influence through engaging social media content that makes campaign finance accessible.
Check it out on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.
