Blue in a red state

When most people – other than Iowans – think about its state leadership, they may recall Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, or Governor Kim Reynolds.  They – as well as three of the state’s four House Representatives –  are all Republicans.

Then there’s Iowa 3^rd District Rep. Cindy Axne…

…the lone Democrat who won office in 2018 by unseating a Republican incumbent.

A native Iowan and U Iowa graduate, she moved to Chicago, where she worked for the Tribune Co. and also earned an MBA from Northwestern. She and her husband later became small business partners before returning to Iowa with their children.

Her activism began in 2007 when , upon learning that availability of full-day kindergarten in her district was so limited that eligibility was determined by lottery, she took on the the school board to make it available to all.

For most of the next 10 years she worked with Iowa state agencies, charged with helping them to streamline their delivery of government services.  She’s remained an advocate of government efficiency and transparency, voting for the Congressional Budget Transparency Act.

Active in her Catholic church, she voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022 to establish the statutory right to abortion free from state bans and restrictions on patients or healthcare providers.

She voted for both the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act.

And she introduced the Striking Workers Healthcare Protection Act requiring employers to continue providing health insurance to workers on strike.

Her ability to successfully advocate for progressive policy in such a politically conservative environment exhibits noteworthy skills and tactics.  And it will be far easier for Democrats to reverse the tide in Iowa while there’s still a beachhead, rather than to start with re-taking this seat. 

Learn more on her official Congressional web site, her re-election web site, and her Ballotpedia profile.

And watch C O B A L T for more selected candidate profiles between now and Election Day. They may not be in your state, but campaign donations allow you to participate anywhere. (More here.)