Finkenauer launches first re-election television ad

CEDAR RAPIDS - Continuing the themes she ran on two years ago, U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, has launched her first television ad of her re-election campaign.

In 'Build Up,” she displays the sweatshirt worn by her father, a retired union pipefitter-welder, complete with burn holes from welding sparks. Finkenauer says she took it to Washington, D.C., 'to remind folks there that we work for hardworking Americans like my dad.”

The 30-second ad will begin airing on broadcast and cable television today - 99 days before the Nov. 3 election - as well as stream throughout the 20-county 1st District that includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Dubuque.

Finkenauer is being challenged by Republican state Rep. Ashley Hinson of Marion. The race gets ratings ranging from 'tossup” to 'tilt Democratic” from election analysts.

In the spot, Finkenauer talks about measures she's worked on to increase American manufacturing at home and to require local governments to buy American-made materials for infrastructure projects.

'I'm working to build up American manufacturing by making sure infrastructure projects use American-made materials and pay good wages,” she says. 'To help Iowans to not only make a good living, but to have a good life.”

Her success includes H.R. 246, the Stimulating Innovation through Procurement Act of 2019, to increase federal investment for rural small businesses. With its passage, Finkenauer became the youngest woman to have her legislation approved by Congress.

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