Gazette endorsement: Mathis for Congress in the 2nd District

In the newly drawn 2nd Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is challenged by Democratic state Rep. Liz Mathis. Our endorsement goes to Mathis.

Hinson expressed moderate viewpoints on many issues when she first ran for the Iowa Legislature. Since then, Hinson has veered sharply rightward. She’s endorsed by former president Donald Trump and has adopted much of Trump’s political playbook. She voted against appointing a bipartisan panel to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump loyalists.

Hinson makes frequent appearances on right-wing media outlets and her social media accounts have become a regular source of highly partisan and divisive rhetoric. Her role as a “rising star” in the Trump GOP has taken precedence over providing leadership for her entire constituency, not just her political allies.

In contrast, Mathis has proved to be a moderate, reasonable and prudent presence in the Iowa Senate. Her expertise on issues such as children’s mental health, health care and social services has had a positive influence on legislation affecting both her district and the state as a whole. She has been criticized for failing to support a massive package of tax cuts pushed through the Legislature this year by majority Republicans. But Mathis simply believes state revenues should support investments in education, mental health and other priorities, rather than handed over in tax cuts mainly benefiting wealthy Iowans.

Hinson has made the local issue of Linn-Mar’s transgender support policies into a congressional issue, sowing fear of transgender kids to score political points on the conservative right.

“She has taken this issue, and she has set fire to it,” Mathis said of Hinson’s efforts to stoke passions surrounding the issue. We agree.

Hinson voted against Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is expected to bring $5 billion in infrastructure spending to Iowa. And yet, Hinson has taken credit for some of the projects funded by the bill, arguing that she opposed the bill, which she dubbed socialism, but supports the spending.

Hinson has signed onto legislation in the House proclaiming that life begins at conception, a more recent bill banning abortion after 15 weeks and supported an Iowa legislative action banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Mathis would seek to codify the legal parameters set out in Roe v. Wade in federal law, protecting abortion rights. Hinson voted against legislation that would have protected access to contraceptives, instead backing a far weaker measure that did little more than provide political cover.

Hinson is heavily backed by conservative groups bent on political warfare. Mathis gives us a chance to elect a far more reasonable member of Congress who is reflective of the district she seeks to represent.

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com