Democratic representative and Republican engineer face each other again — this time, in House 80

Democratic state Rep. Art Staed, who now represents House District 66, faces Republican candidate Barrett Hubbard once again in the Nov. 8 election — but this time, in a race for House District 80.

The new district was created during the 2021 redistricting process and includes northeast Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha and Robins. As of September, its pool of registered voters totaled 7,320 Democrats, 6,383 Republicans and 6,126 no-party voters

Staed defeated Hubbard in the 2020 general election for House District 66. Both candidates oppose eminent domain — but they diverge in their views regarding climate change, abortion, transgender rights and other issues.

Barrett Hubbard

Hubbard, 43, said he decided to run for office because of “the direction the country has been heading.” He said his analytical problem-solving skills will help him make a difference.

His top priorities include strengthening Iowa’s immigration policies, improving state education standards and supporting small businesses. He said he wants to encourage people to rejoin the workforce instead of relying on government aid.

“When those small businesses are thriving, that's driving our economy and everybody then benefits from that,” Hubbard said.

He said he would designate some of the state’s budget surplus for purposes like education and mental health. He supports the governor’s school choice proposals, including private school tuition vouchers.

While he is not opposed to anyone identifying as transgender, he said he doesn’t endorse those choices. He also said he opposes abortion, although he is open to discussing exceptions in cases of rape, incest and for the life of the woman.

“There's immense trauma that can occur in a situation like that,” he said. “But what most people fail to realize is that there's also an immense amount of trauma that's associated with an abortion.”

Hubbard said he thinks there isn’t enough data to definitely say that humans are causing climate change.

He supports banning handheld mobile devices while driving, and he is not opposed to automated traffic cameras. He is against using eminent domain for CO2 pipelines.

Art Staed

Staed, 73, counts his bipartisan work in the Legislature as his biggest accomplishment. For instance, a bill requiring radon testing in schools passed this year, along with a bill providing resources for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Now seeking his seventh term as a state representative, Staed said he’d like to focus on making health care and mental health services more accessible, adequately funding public schools and supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Staed told The Gazette he would like to see Iowa’s nearly $2 billion budget surplus used to increase child care assistance subsidies and to expand child and independent care income tax credits. He said he supports tax cuts for lower- and middle-income earners but thinks existing and scheduled tax cuts are sufficient for now.

“Taxes are how we help one another,” he said. “Those funds can be used in so many ways that have been underfunded for real needs.”

Staed said he believes that politicians have obligations to help reduce climate change impacts. He also supports transgender rights and protections for abortion services in support of a woman’s right “to control her body and destiny.”

“Reproductive decisions should be made by the woman and her physician — not politicians,” he said.

Staed said he is opposed to vouchers for private schools and does not support using eminent domain for CO2 pipelines. He supports automated traffic cameras and favors banning hand-held mobile devices while driving.

Comments: (319) 398-8370; brittney.miller@thegazette.com