CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand stopped in Cedar Rapids Friday for a roundtable with mental health experts.
The event coincided with the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month.
During the discussion Sand listened to nine mental health experts, asked questions and responded with his stances and past work as Iowa auditor.
“One of the biggest problems we have in Iowa is the shortage of providers,” one of the experts told Sand. “My ex-daughter-in-law sat in an emergency room for a day and a half because there was no bed for her.”
Another expert said she’s having “weekly people who have private insurance that they think is a good product” tell her they can’t afford come in for services at the hospital she works at anymore.
The event comes one day after Sand’s campaign unveiled his “A Healthier Iowa for All” plan aimed at addressing the state’s cancer rates.
One of Sand’s biggest takeaways was a policy he has previously voiced support for: Reverse the privatization of Medicaid.
“Right now everyone in the state of Iowa just had their taxes raised by this legislature and this governor to pay for the profits of these companies who are making these people’s jobs harder,” Sand told Iowa’s News Now after the event.
Sand also hit the airwaves again Friday, launching a second television advertisement. The ad, called “Family Tradition,” is a 30-second spot and part of a six-figure ad buy.
Sand faces no Democrats in the June 2 primary, so he’ll face the Republican nominee in November.
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There are five Republicans running for governor. They are Congressman Randy Feenstra, state Rep. Eddie Andrews, farmer Zach Lahn, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former Director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen.