Iowa Governor Candidate Attended Church Hosting Drag Shows, Supporting Abortion

Rob Sand, Iowa's state auditor and the Democratic nominee for governor, has reportedly attended Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, a congregation in Des Moines that has hosted drag queen performances, featured a transgender pastor, and openly supported abortion rights.

Sand has sought to cultivate a moderate image on the campaign trail, emphasizing his Christian faith and describing himself as an independent voter who has sometimes voted for Republicans. His campaign stated that Sand "is a Christian. I’m a conservative. But I’m not a party-based person." A voter is quoted in a Sand press release saying, "I like to vote for the person as opposed to the party. And to me, (Sand) just seems really honest and down to earth."

However, Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ has a public record of progressive activism. According to the church's website and promotional materials, it has been an "LGBTQ+ Open and Affirming congregation for more than 30 years." The church has flown a pride flag and featured images of churchgoers at gay pride parades. In May 2025, the church hosted drag queen Flamy Grant for a concert. Advertisements noted that Grant's work included songs with sexually explicit lyrics and commentary on religious themes.

In 2023, the church hosted transgender pastor Paula Stone Williams as a guest pastor. Williams, who transitioned later in life, had published a book titled "As a Woman: What I learned about power, sex, and the patriarchy after I transitioned."

Plymouth has also been involved in advocating for abortion rights. Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the church organized prayer vigils and rallied at the state capitol to protest against efforts to regulate abortion, framing their stance as support for "reproductive healthcare."

In terms of youth programming, the church partners with the Rainbow Faith Coalition, which states that LGBTQ+ identities are "God-given, honored and celebrated." Plymouth also offers the Our Whole Lives sexuality education curriculum, which includes classes for first graders addressing topics such as sexuality, relationships, and gender identity.

Sand's campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "Rob Sand goes to church weekly and does so in Iowa, unlike Zach Lahn. Rob’s faith is deeply important to him, and like many, he has never found a church where he agrees with everything, but does prefer traditional services with liturgy and classic hymns." The spokesperson added, "Rob has always been independent-minded, and he isn’t going to take lessons in morality from a sex toy salesman who lives in Kansas."

The reference to "sex toy salesman" was aimed at GOP gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn, who was an investor in a company that manufactured sexual wellness devices. Lahn has stated that the product was initially intended for cardiovascular health monitoring and that he divested before the company's marketing shifted.

Lahn's campaign did not comment on where he attends church. The Lahn campaign issued a statement criticizing Sand's church affiliations: "This is disturbing material, but it’s right in line with Rob Sand’s liberal views. If you believe men can become women, then what’s to stop you from teaching it to schoolchildren? Values matter and Rob’s values are NOT Iowa values."