By Christina Bohannan, Iowa House District 85 candidate
The upcoming primary election is a pivotal moment for Iowa City. There is a lot at stake. The coronavirus has laid bare and magnified preexisting inequities — inequities brought about by the state legislature’s disinvestment in education, health care, civil rights, worker rights and more. Our beloved small businesses are now struggling to survive, when for years the state has been giving hundreds of millions of dollars in tax cuts to large corporations. Water quality, climate change and gun violence need our attention, even as we continue to cope with COVID-19. Iowa City needs strong representation now more than ever.
Over the past several months, I have talked to many people throughout the district. One thing is clear: the people of Iowa City believe this office is about more than how you vote. They want their elected official to show up for people throughout the community, especially for those in need. They believe their representative should be a leader in the party, committed to raising money to support Democratic candidates and flip seats all over the state. They expect a legislator from Iowa’s bluest district to champion progressive reforms, as well as to look for opportunities to work across the aisle. And they are ready to start now in building the future of the Democratic Party and state government in Iowa.
Representative Lensing has served the district for 18 years. We all should be grateful for her service. But the beauty of our democracy is that every few years the voters get to decide anew who will represent them going forward. There are times when we realize that what we needed in the past is different than what we need for our future. Given everything happening in our country and our state, and all the challenges we currently face, I believe this is one of those times.
Iowa has a strong progressive history, and for the past 20 years, I have been proud to be an Iowan. I am running to reclaim Iowa’s legacy. As a law professor, an environmental engineer and a mother, I believe I have the skills, energy and passion that Iowa City needs at this critical point in time. I will be a champion for progressive values because I have lived them. I will show up for every member of our community, and I will fight for a better future for all of Iowa.
