Here’s what Jill will fight for in the Iowa House.
Where Jill stands
Now is not the time for despair. We have to have the courage to stand up for what’s right. We have to have the courage to elect a new kind of leader. We have to have the courage to hope for a bigger, bolder Iowa.
Issue #1: Fully Fund Public Education
When Jill was growing up, Iowa was ranked 4th in education.
People would find out she was from Iowa and say, “You’re so lucky. Best schools in the country.”
Today, Iowa has fallen to 24th.
The Problem
Iowa hasn’t matched inflation with public education funding.
Meanwhile, we’re funneling taxpayer dollars to private schools with zero accountability—no oversight, no reporting on how the money is spent.
Class sizes are growing. Teachers are leaving. Programs are getting cut. And 500,000 Iowa kids in public schools are paying the price.
Jill’s Position
Jill believes every Iowa child deserves a quality education.
Jill believes every Iowa child deserves a quality education. If vouchers are going to exist, there needs to be accountability. Private schools receiving taxpayer dollars should be required to report how that money is spent. And there should be income caps—the wealthiest families don’t need taxpayer-funded vouchers.
But the real solution? Fully fund Iowa’s public schools so they can compete with neighboring states. Support our teachers with fair pay and the resources they need. Invest in early childhood education so every child starts strong.
Iowa's public schools gave Jill her shot.
Every kid deserves that same chance.
Issue #2: Make Iowa Affordable
Iowa’s economy was ranked dead last in 2025.
Young people are leaving because they can’t afford to stay. Wages are stagnant while costs keep rising. Even upper-middle-class families are feeling the pinch.
The Problem
Childcare costs more than rent in many areas.
Affordable housing is scarce. Small businesses are struggling. Good jobs are disappearing. And college graduates are looking at Iowa and deciding there’s no future here.
We’re losing a generation—and if we don’t act now, we’ll lose the next one too.
Jill’s Position
We can’t control federal inflation or interest rates.
But we can make Iowa a place where working families can build a life. Jill will fight to:
- Reduce childcare costs so parents can afford to work
- Invest in affordable housing
- Incentivize small and medium business growth
- Increase benefits and protections for workers
“We can’t create mountains or oceans to keep people here,” Jill says. “But we can do things that improve quality of life—and that’s what will make people want to stay.”
Issue #3: Protect Our Water
Last summer, nitrates in Johnston’s water nearly exceeded safe levels because of agricultural runoff.
It was a wake-up call.
The Problem
Iowa hasn’t done a good job managing farm runoff, and it’s affecting drinking water across the state.
This isn’t just a rural issue or an urban issue—it’s an Iowa issue. Clean water isn’t partisan. It’s a basic necessity.
Jill’s Position
Jill grew up in rural Iowa.
She understands agriculture isn’t abstract—it’s people’s livelihoods. We can protect Iowa’s water and soil while supporting Iowa farmers. These goals aren’t in conflict.
Jill will work to incentivize sustainable agricultural practices, support farmers who invest in conservation, and ensure clean drinking water for every Iowa community.
We have to protect what we have.
Iowa's land and water are our future.
Issue #4: Stand With Workers
That pay gap is part of a bigger pattern that values production over people.
This isn’t just about livelihoods. It’s about life and death.
The Problem
Bargaining rights have been stripped.
Workers’ comp has been weakened. Pensions that were once promised are now being questioned. Wage theft and misclassification go uninvestigated because Iowa doesn’t have enough inspectors. Understaffing, undertraining, and burnout are making workplaces unsafe, increasing risk of serious—even fatal—injury.
Iowa workers are asking for a fair deal—stability, dignity, and opportunity to support families and get ahead. But they’re going unheard.
Jill’s Position
Jill believes hard work should pay in Iowa. She’s going to fight for what workers are asking for.
She’ll work to restore a voice on the job, a retirement you can count on, and the right to come home safe at the end of a shift. She’ll push for more inspectors, stronger accountability, and prevention-focused standards—because those things save lives. And she’ll make sure responsible Iowa employers don’t get undercut by companies that cut corners.
Workers built Iowa. Iowa should
work just as hard for them.
Issue #5: Respect First Responders
Public safety matters most on the worst day of your life.
When your child is hurt, when your house is on fire, when someone you love is in crisis—nothing is more important than help that arrives quickly and ready.
Funding police, fire, and EMS is how we keep everyone safe.
The Problem
Iowa’s first responders are being asked to do more with less.
Departments are short-staffed. Response times are stretching. Officers are being sent into mental health crises they weren’t trained to handle. Recruits are training on outdated equipment in facilities that haven’t kept pace.
And after a career of nights, weekends, and holidays away from family, too many are watching their pensions come under threat.
Jill’s Position
Public safety is basic infrastructure for any functioning community.
That means funding levels for agencies that keep pace with what we’re asking of them—enough trained personnel, modern equipment, and updated training academies that prepare responders for today’s realities, including de-escalation and mental health response.
It means building the behavioral health systems that keep officers from being the only option in a crisis.
And it means protecting IPERS so the people who spent a career protecting Iowa can retire with the financial security they earned.
First responders show up for us every time.
We’ve got to show up for them now.
The Courage to Lead
These problems won’t solve themselves. They won’t get solved by politicians who care more about culture wars than your kitchen table.
Jill’s not interested in empty promises or extremist agendas. She’s interested in common-sense solutions and hard work.
