Candidate Profiles

We need to address legislation that has been passed in the last two sessions. • The school voucher and Area Education Agencies legislation if acted on is an attack on public education; it especially endangers rural school districts. Iowa District 95 is made up of all rural school districts and when schools are impacted, communities are impacted. • The 2024 sessions passage of restrictions on women’s health care freedoms is wrong and needs to be overturned, at a minimum this needs to be placed on a ballot and voted on as a state constitutional amendment by the people of Iowa. Government has no place in the exam rooms of the women of Iowa. • District 95 is a very rural district. Low corn prices and the overabundance of crops impact not only family farms, but the communities and small businesses in the district. We have to look at options to increase the utilization of Iowa corn. The Republican super majority currently in place makes it difficult for any voice in the legislature and the party in charge is unwilling to work across the aisle in any bi-partisan way, my election in District 95 would send a loud and clear message that the residents of District 95 are not happy with the direction of our state.

I, as the majority of Iowans, want our legislatures to be good stewards of our tax dollars. I believe first you address how tax dollars are being spent and allocate current funding where it has the most impact. That should be on public school education, mental health care and public services that benefit our state and residents. I do not advocate for additional funding but addressing where funding goes needs to be reviewed.

Distracted driving is a public danger and it occurs in many other ways other than hand-held devices. The majority of new vehicles allow of usage of mobile devices while driving and can assist in minimizing distractions but not eliminate. I feel that the states current laws addressing distracted driving making texting (reading, writing, or sending violations and drivers under the age of 18 years are prohibited from using electronic devices are sufficient and there is no current need for additional legislation.

This is an area I would need additional knowledge and details. As a state that has an older population, we do have an obligation that residents in nursing homes are cared for and treated with dignity and respect. The state needs to ensure the checks and balances are in place to follow up on reported concerns and have the staff to complete unannounced audits and visits of our care facilities. The caregivers within our nursing homes should be compensated with a living wage and what is competitive in the industry.

The levels of cancer in Iowa are alarming and I have had friends impacted by this deadly disease but at this time I do not support increased spending on research, screenings or prevention programs. I do feel it is important that we address the needs in rural areas and the medical services made available to the citizens. Colon cancer runs within my family, and I personally have been waiting for over 17 months to get scheduled for a routine colonoscopy with my local hospital. Waits like this can impact life and death for citizens in Iowa and is unacceptable. Let’s address the issues in front of us that impact our citizens before we increase spending and develop additional programs that we cannot manage.

This is an area of concern that needs to be addressed. The EPA reports that over 70% of freshwater lakes, ponds, reservoirs and wetlands in Iowa are too polluted for swimming. This water in many areas becomes the water we consume in our homes. We want to address cancer levels in Iowa and it should begin with our water sources. I don’t pretend to have the answer to this issue, but we need to have the best experts within our state evaluate and provide recommended solutions for correcting.

We have failed our citizens when it comes to addressing and providing services for mental health care. The republican party gutted the successful system that was in place and replaced it with a system that fails those requiring mental health care. This has resulted in overwhelmed area hospitals and local law enforcement dealing with the issue. We need a committee of experts within the state to review our current system, evaluate what works and make recommendations on how to improve services for those with mental health needs.

Government has no place in addressing or passing legislation that impacts a woman’s reproductive freedoms. The legislation that passed in the 2024 session needs to be overturned. As mentioned earlier placing on the ballot as an Iowa constitutional amendment, let the people decide if the current restrictions on women is what we want to be the laws of our state.

No, I would not support a bill defining this language. Decisions like this should be between a woman, her medical professional and higher power, not state government.

First and foremost, the legislation authorizing school vouchers for private education needs to be eliminated and the Area Education Agencies returned to their previous funding. I’m not opposed to standards and guidance in what is taught in our public schools, but it should focus on reading, writing and arithmetic, the fundamentals that every student needs. Local school boards and district superintendents should determine programming and the needs of their students.

First rescind legislation that keeps Iowa an uninviting destination for those wanting to relocate and be a part of our state. We have in recent years addressed issues that have helped in keeping our retirees in the state, but we continue to pass laws that are extreme in nature, and you must have a workforce before companies will invest and grow here. We must have common sense legislation and bring companies that are willing to work with organized labor to ensure you have a skilled workforce and good paying positions.