Cedar Rapids lawmaker endorses Warren

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids early childhood educator has endorsed the presidential bid of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, citing her plans for affordable, universal child care and pre-K.

'As an early childhood educator and advocate, I want our next president to understand the importance of child care and early education to our children, our families and our economy,” state Rep. Tracy Ehlert, D-Cedar Rapids, said. 'Elizabeth Warren will be that president.”

Warren wants to improve the quality of child care while also raising ages for teachers and caregivers, said Ehlert, a freshman lawmaker representing House 70, which includes portions of Cedar Rapids and rural Linn County.

Warren welcomed the endorsement from Ehlert who 'represents a new generation of leadership that is fighting to rebuild the middle class and ensure opportunity for all in Iowa.”

Ehlert has spent her career focused on early childhood education and advocating for children, working in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, serving as a continuing education instructor at Kirkwood Community College and operating Babies 2 Kids Learning Center for more than 10 years.

Ehlert joins a host of other Eastern Iowa public officials who have endorsed Warren's campaign, including Reps. Liz Bennett of Cedar Rapids and Lindsay James of Dubuque, Sen. Joe Bolkcom and Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan.

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