Hager plans run for House seat in northeast Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Waukon nurse and business owner has announced she will challenge an incumbent in northeast Iowa House District 56, which encompasses Allamakee and most of Clayton County.

Kristi Hager, a Republican, plans to challenge Rep. Patti Ruff, D-McGregor, who defeated Hager's husband, Bob, in 2012. Active voter registration in House 56 favors Republicans 38 percent to 26 percent.

The Hagers, who have three adult children, have owned and operated Upper Iowa Resort & Rental near Dorchester for the past 17 years.

From 2009 to 2013, the couple also operated Living Stone, a non-profit, faith-based re-entry home for people coming out of jail and prison, the homeless and individuals in need of a 'hand up.”

Hager has worked as a registered nurse since July 1985 in various capacities, having stepped away from full-time nursing five years ago. She occasionally substitutes as a school nurse through the Allamakee Community School District.

Hager said her priorities center on faith and strengthening family and fiscal responsibility. With state revenues projected to be lower and budget requests up, she said the overall question in decision-making will not only be who gets helped and who gets hurt, but also on maintaining fiscal responsibility.

She was present for Gov. Terry Branstad's 2012 Condition of the State speech when he spoke of wanting Iowa to be 'a bright beacon of hope to the rest of the nation.”

'Something inside of me was stirred. I have never forgotten that,” Hager said. She believes Iowa is that 'bright beacon of hope” not only as the first-in-the-nation caucus state, 'but because we are a breadbasket to the nation, we have been a forerunner in education, economics, agriculture, family, entertainment/arts, business/tourism, government, media and religion.”

Among her strengths, Hager said, are the ability to see the big picture, formulate solutions and then articulate them in a way that is easily understood; to be creative in 'thinking outside of the box”; and to empower others.

Representatives serve two-year terms and are paid $25,000 a year.