Passion for helping working people

Molly Donahue | Iowa Senate District 37

I announced my run for the Senate minutes after the special session had completed redistricting. I made that decision based on the open seat with the retirements of longtime Sen. Rob Hogg, and Sen. Liz Mathis and the opportunity to expand on my service to my community.

This move will allow me to continue to serve the people that I’ve had the honor of representing in the house over the past two sessions in Marion and parts of southeast Cedar Rapids, adding parts of northeast Cedar Rapids.

In the Senate I will be able to continue to expand on the rapport that I have built with the city and county governments, as well as the people and small business owners in the community.

The current climate in politics has been divisive and it’s time that the people are put first. That is why I will work to improve the lives of the people in my community by working on the most important issues today in Iowa, which are lowering costs for families, protecting reproductive rights for women, and public education.

I ran for office because of my passion for helping the working people in my community which includes lowering costs and reducing living expenses for families and small business owners, while finding ways to attract new jobs and young people back to Iowa. Increasing wages, lowering taxes for the middle class, and expanding access to affordable child care is where I’ll begin.

Reproductive health care is on the ballot this fall. I will work with my colleagues to stop the Governor and an Iowa Republican ban on all abortions. I will also work to guarantee reproductive freedom by codifying abortion in the Iowa Constitution, as well as expanding access to reproductive health care in Iowa to both educate the public, and prevent unplanned pregnancies.

I continue to be passionate about renewing Iowa’s commitment to being the best in the nation in education. I will work across the aisle to provide the necessary funding to make that happen. Providing adequate funding for class-size reduction, teacher pay increases, programs to help with the increasing mental health -and trauma informed care necessary for student success, and reducing the learning gap. Once elected, I will be the only current educator in the Senate, giving them a new perspective.

I look forward to the opportunity to serve in a broader capacity and putting Iowans first.

Molly Donahue is the Democratic candidate in Senate District 37.