ROB SAND’s campaign gimmicks(噱头，花招), to the extent that(在……程度上，就……而言) he has them, are better suited for a Norman Rockwell(诺曼·洛克威尔，美国插画大师) painting than a TikTok feed. The Democratic candidate for governor of Iowa begins his town halls with a sing-a-long of “America the Beautiful”. He invites Republicans in the crowd to reveal themselves; those who do are welcomed with applause. Yet the even-tempered Mr Sand, who serves as the state’s auditor, does not shy away from declaring a disaster where he sees one.(然而，性情温和的桑德先生，现任该州审计长，并不回避在他看到灾难的地方直言不讳。) Iowa, he insisted recently, is in the throes of(处于……的困境中) three: an “economic crisis and a cancer crisis and an education crisis”. Many voters agree.
罗布·桑德的竞选噱头，如果说他有的话，更适合诺曼·洛克威尔的画作，而不是TikTok上的短视频。这位艾奥瓦州州长民主党候选人在市政厅会议开始时，会带领大家合唱《美丽的美国》。他邀请人群中的共和党人表明身份，那些站出来的人会得到掌声欢迎。然而，这位性情温和的桑德先生，现任该州审计长，并不回避在他看到灾难的地方直言不讳。他最近坚称，艾奥瓦正深陷三场危机：“经济危机、癌症危机和教育危机”。许多选民表示认同。
Iowa has voted solidly(坚定地，一致地) Republican at the state and federal level for more than a decade. Republicans have dominated(主导，支配) the state legislature since 2016; no Democrat has won the governorship(州长职位) since 2006, a Senate seat since 2008 or a congressional race since 2020. In the most recent presidential election, Donald Trump carried the state(赢得该州（选举）) by more than 13 points.
十多年来，艾奥瓦州在州和联邦层面一直坚定支持共和党。自2016年以来，共和党一直主导州议会；自2006年以来，没有民主党人赢得过州长职位，自2008年以来没有赢得过参议院席位，自2020年以来没有赢得过国会选举。在最近一次总统选举中，唐纳德·特朗普以超过13个百分点的优势赢得了该州。
Yet Iowa is still home to a large bloc(集团，群体) of independents—35% of registered voters—and they appear to be swinging left(转向左翼). Mr Sand is leading his Republican rival, according to an Emerson College/Nexstar poll published on August 6th. Josh Turek, the Democratic Senate candidate, is in a tight race(势均力敌的竞争). And three out of four congressional districts are competitive. As the populist left advances elsewhere, Iowa is offering a different example of how Democrats might return to power.(随着民粹主义左翼在其他地方推进，艾奥瓦正在提供民主党如何重新掌权的另一个范例。)
然而，艾奥瓦州仍然拥有大量独立选民——占登记选民的35%——他们似乎正在转向左翼。根据8月6日发布的艾默生学院/ Nexstar民调，桑德先生领先于他的共和党对手。民主党参议员候选人乔什·图雷克正处于势均力敌的竞争中。四个国会选区中有三个竞争激烈。随着民粹主义左翼在其他地方推进，艾奥瓦正在提供民主党如何重新掌权的另一个范例。