Why I'm running

I am running for Congress because I believe in government by the people, for the people. I believe in fighting for our Constitutional freedoms. And I believe that people who work hard should get a fair shot – not only to get by, but to get ahead.

But right now, our political system is broken, and Iowans are paying the price. Billionaires and corporate special interests buy votes in Congress, while bitter partisanship divides us and deprives us of meaningful representation. The cost of living is skyrocketing, with chaotic tariffs that wreak havoc on household budgets and Iowa’s economy. Health care is being ripped away from hundreds of thousands of hardworking Iowans, all to further line the pockets of billionaires. Iowa ranks highest in the country for cancer growth, lowest for economic growth, and below average for public schools when we used to be number one in public education. Our rights and liberties are disappearing before our eyes, and our representatives seem unwilling to do anything about it.

It’s no wonder people of all political beliefs have lost faith in our government.

I am running for Congress to restore that faith – the faith that our government can once again work for working people.

In 2024, thousands of Iowans who voted for President Trump also voted for me. Iowans of all parties trust me because of our shared love of country, our mutual disillusionment with the political establishment, and our common belief that good government is about ensuring freedom and opportunity for all, not just the privileged few. Because they are tired of the extreme political partisanship that has divided families and communities, and they know that I will be an independent voice for Iowa. It is my fervent hope that, when I am in Congress, I can bring people together to make life better for Iowans.

About me

Growing up, my family was not at all political. Around the dinner table, we talked about work to be done and bills to be paid, not about what some politician said on TV. I never heard the words “Republican” or “Democrat.” Most of my family didn’t vote. 

But there came a time when I realized that politics mattered to working families like mine.

I grew up in a mobile home in a town of 700 people. Neither of my parents graduated high school. My dad was a construction worker, and my mom worked part-time at a daycare. I have never seen two people work harder to put food on the table and take care of their family. We didn’t have much, but I learned the joy – the magic – of growing up in a small town where kids could be kids, and where my dad would drive me around and show me the roads, culverts, and other things he helped to build. We were Ford trucks, Busch beer, Johnny Cash, and a good Friday night was Kentucky Fried Chicken and the Dukes of Hazzard on TV.


Then my dad got sick, and everything changed. The proud man who had worked hard his whole life couldn’t work anymore. After getting emphysema, they cancelled his health insurance – and because he had been diagnosed with a “pre-existing condition,” he couldn’t get any other insurance. Suddenly, everything came crashing down. We had to choose between paying the bills, buying groceries, and paying for the medicines and doctors he needed to stay alive. We lost everything trying to save him.

Public education, Social Security, and Medicare were lifelines for my family. Thanks to public schools and dedicated teachers, I got a good education and became the first in my family to go to college. I worked my way through high school and college by waiting tables, picking fruit, cleaning homes, and taking just about every job you can imagine. I got a degree in Environmental Engineering and worked as an engineer specializing in improving water quality. Then I went to law school, where I graduated first in my class.

Twenty-six years ago, I was given the life-changing opportunity to teach at the University of Iowa College of Law, where I have been ever since. It has been the honor of a lifetime to teach Iowa’s sons and daughters about business innovation and economic growth, and about democracy and the rule of law. And it has been a joy to have a family and raise my daughter in a place like Iowa, where family and community are deeply-held values.

I want all Iowans to have the opportunity to get ahead. That’s why, in 2020, I took on the political establishment and defeated a 20-year incumbent of my own party to serve in the Iowa House of Representatives. There, I fought for our public schools, our farmers and small businesses, clean air and water, and our rights and liberties. I stood up to both parties – and worked with both parties – to get things done for hardworking Iowans.

Now, I am running to do the same in Congress. I am running to put Iowa first.