We're not sure Democrat Rob Sand, the nominee for Iowa governor, understands what H-1B visas actually do. At a debate, Sand was asked about ending H-1B visas for universities, and his answer was interesting.
Democrat nominee for Iowa Governor Rob Sand says he is against ending H-1B visa hiring at public universities-- and uses the example of somebody who moved to Iowa from Hawaii.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 15, 2026
Didn't know somebody from Hawaii would need an H-1B visa to move to Iowa. pic.twitter.com/YKFQMWTcdR
"Look, I think at the end of the day, we want to make sure that we have professionals in the state of Iowa to do what we need done for Iowans," Sand said. "Bottom line: if you end that, what happens if you run out of applicants? Then you don't have any."
"You want to prioritize Iowans? That's a good idea," he continued, "but saying that you're not welcome otherwise, I think, is a mistake. We got a lot of work that we need to have done in Iowa, we are one of the slowest growing populations in America. And I think we need to make sure that we're not closing the door on people who want to be here."
"I have lots of stories. I went to school with a guy in Iowa City for law school before I was a prosecutor at the Attorney General's Office. Three years in Iowa City, with Matt ... he moved here from Hawaii. And now he lives in Cedar Rapids," Sand said. "He loves it."
Does Sand not know that Matt was from an American state and wouldn't need an H-1B visa?
🚨 WATCH: Rob Sand says that it would be bad to stop Iowa universities from hiring H-1B visas.
— Lahn HQ (@LahnHQ) October 15, 2026
He then uses the example of somebody who moved to Iowa from Hawaii (a U.S. State).
Rob apparently has no idea what an H-1B visa even is. pic.twitter.com/Ev5t6FUwz9
He does not know.
In order to move from Hawaii to Iowa, you need a psychiatric examination.
— AmishDude (@TheAmishDude) October 15, 2026
Iowa is a great state, but the weather in Hawaii cannot be beat.
Hey @RobSandIA why would you bring up someone from Hawaii when talking about H-1Bs?
— Rick Langel (@RickLangel) October 15, 2026
Did you not know they don't need a visa? https://t.co/AUo3SvuAR8
In fairness, you get strong South Asian vibes in Hawaii. This writer was there for two weeks in 2024.
And how many university jobs are in Iowa that couldn't be filled by Iowans or other Americans? We doubt there are that many that H-1B visas are needed.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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