Name & occupation: Ashley Hinson, Member of Congress serving Iowa’s Second District
Previous Positions held: An Iowa native, Ashley is an award-winning journalist and a proud wife and mother of two. Ashley previously served in the Iowa State House and represented Iowa’s 67th House district, where she worked successfully to balance the budget, cut taxes, and protect the most vulnerable in her community. Prior to serving Iowans in public office, Ashley was a reporter for KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids.
Where and when was the first speech in your political career, and how many people were in the room? The first political speech I gave was at the Iowa Caucus Night on Monday, February 1st, 2016, in front of over 700 attendees in a full church sanctuary.
Thinking back on that speech, have the issues you talked about changed, or have the basic themes and priorities you first ran on essentially remained the same? For me, it’s always been about doing the most good and solving problems. Just as I committed to on the campaign trail, it’s about making sure we’re delivering on what we promised, which is to protect taxpayers, stand up for rural Iowans, and make sure our communities are safer for our children. Every other mom out there wants to be able to drop their kids off at the school bus in the morning, knowing they’re in good hands. In my role, I view it as responding to the problems of today, solving those problems, while also considering how I ensure that years down the road, the policy I’m working on will make our state and country more prosperous for our children and grandchildren. I’m fighting for the working Iowa families who have spent the past four years struggling under Joe Biden, for the veterans who have served our country, for the small business owners trying to keep their doors open, and for the farmers who work so hard to feed and fuel the world. These will always be my top priorities in public service, and my overarching goal remains the same: to make Iowa the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
You’re a seasoned reporter and award-winning journalist. How has your career in journalism influenced your public service? As a former news anchor and reporter in Cedar Rapids, one of the events I closely covered was the absolutely devastating Flood of 2008, which left thousands of people to be evacuated and caused billions of dollars in damage. I got to see our legislators in Iowa really work together to solve those problems. After covering the news for so long on the issues Iowans care about, I realized I wanted to deliver results and take action. But the biggest factor in running for Congress is because I’m a mom.
Being a working mom with younger children, I think I bring a perspective that’s relatable to so many working moms and growing families out there. I have a good grasp of the challenges families face, and what families talk about around their kitchen tables each night, which drives me to advocate for policies that make life easier.
I’m also used to cutting through the noise and focusing on the facts. That experience has been helpful when grilling then-President Biden’s secretaries and extracting the truth from them. Journalism also taught me how to really listen and connect with people. That skill is essential in this role—whether it’s hearing directly from Iowans or working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to find common ground.
Finally, what one bill or initiative would you like to see Congress pass that would make a positive difference in the lives of every Iowan? For decades, China has been ripping off American businesses and workers, evading U.S. trade laws through transshipment, duty evasion, and forced labor. American and Iowa businesses are playing by the rules, while China continues to exploit loopholes and engage in intellectual property theft to undercut our industries. Despite the high volume of trade crime-related cases, our DOJ remains inadequately equipped to detect, investigate, and prosecute such offenses effectively. That is why I introduced bicameral, bipartisan legislation giving some teeth to the DOJ’s efforts to stop these violations, ensure penalties are meaningfully enforced, and protect American businesses and workers.
Unfair foreign competition threatens the growth and good-paying jobs that come with strengthening domestic production, particularly in rural manufacturing towns in Iowa. Communist China has mastered the art of exploiting every loophole and backdoor we leave open — and they’ll keep doing it until we finally enforce the rules with real teeth. That’s why we must pass my legislation to protect American workers, increase wages, and support domestic manufacturing.