Tackling the Affordability Crisis

Although nationally, Iowa is well ranked on affordability, there is no way to deny that we are feeling the impact of stagnant wages and increased prices, from the grocery store, to home improvement, to childcare costs. A major part of affordability is raising Iowa’s minimum wage to a true living wage. No one working full time should be unable to afford a basic, stable life.

We as Iowans deserve to be protected from price gouging and in the state house, I will fight to ban it. We cannot allow huge corporations to nickel and dime us under the guise of inflation, just to keep prices high once they have become normalized.

Expanding infrastructure for and access to public transit, especially for Iowans who don't live in Des Moines, will help more low income Iowans be able to access other forms of transportation, and have greater access to jobs across the state.

I believe that healthcare should be a fundamental human right, not a luxury, which is why I will fight to bring in as many federal dollars as possible to fund Medicare and Medicaid expansions, to give more Iowans access to essential healthcare services and increase access to healthcare in rural areas, especially as we have seen many rural hospitals close. I believe that we all need to work together to make Iowa more affordable for families and individuals, as cost of living is a major contributor to those who may be looking to move to our great state.

I also believe that the minimum wage is far below what is needed to actually be able to live. There is nowhere in Iowa where there is affordable housing for a single minimum wage worker to be able to live on their own or with their family. I want to work to get the minimum wage up to a living wage that is tied to inflation, as well as to fight for families trying to buy a home, instead of large corporations looking to make profits off of a basic human need.

Ensuring Clean Water and Air

Over the last several years, we have seen an increase of cancer rates in Iowa. Although there are many factors to consider, it cannot be disputed that environmental factors play a substantial role in this crisis. Clean air and water initiatives, as well as common sense regulations on agricultural practices, especially regarding run off and pesticides need to be implemented to decrease the amount of harmful nitrates and PFAS in our water.

We need to invest not only in technology that can assist in permanently removing these harmful chemicals from our water sources, but also increase funding for cancer research and prevention. I want all Iowans, young and old, rural, urban and suburban, to have access to clean safe drinking water from their tap.

Funding Public Schools

School vouchers have unquestionably harmed Iowa’s public schools, especially in rural and low-income communities, while driving up property taxes statewide. In the 2024–2025 school year alone, vouchers cost Iowa taxpayers more than $230 million.

As your representative, I will fight to ensure that public dollars stay in public schools and are not diverted to private institutions.

Instead of penalizing small schools, we should be making sure every student, teacher, and administrator has the resources they need to educate the next generation of Iowans and every generation after that.

Rising childcare costs are also placing enormous strain on families. We need to expand after-school programs and community activities for children, provide universal breakfast and lunch in our schools, and work toward universal childcare, especially for families struggling to make ends meet. To me, supporting families also means guaranteeing paid family leave for all Iowans, because starting a family should never put someone into debt.

If we want our schools to once again be the envy of the nation, we must invest in them. And if we want Iowa’s young people to stay, build careers, and raise families here, we need to give them every opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed in a state that has so much to offer.

Protect LGBTAQ rights and Trans Youth

As a bisexual woman and proud member of the LGBTQA+ community, I have seen first hand how damaging anti-gay and anti-trans legislation has been in causing real harm to real people. I believe that everyone should be able to live as their authentic self, and I think that our time and money can be better spent supporting our youth, who are just trying to figure out who they are, insread of passing legislation designed to make their lives more difficult. As your representative, I will work to cut through the noise and get to issues that actually impact Iowans.

Legalize Cannabis Products

We can look to neighboring states like Missouri, Illinois, and Minnesota to see the impact legal cannabis can have on state budgets. Illinois alone has generated more than $490 million in tax revenue from marijuana sale. Funds that support social programs, state agencies, and critical infrastructure projects. We also now understand far more about the health benefits of cannabis and know that, while no substance is risk-free, cannabis carries significantly fewer health risks than alcohol or nicotine. I believe Iowa should legalize marijuana, cannabis, and hemp products, and put the resulting tax revenue to work for our communities. There’s no reason to let that economic opportunity flow to our neighboring states when it could be strengthening Iowa instead.