Theresa Greenfield, the Iowa Democratic Party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate, today said adding more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court is not a priority for Iowans.
“I don’t that’s what we should be doing by any means,” Greenfield said earlier this afternoon. “I wouldn’t say that I have formed an opinion on that, but that’s certainly not a high priority for me and it’s not something that Iowans are talking about at this point in time.”
Greenfield made her comments during an hour-long, online forum hosted by the Greater Des Moines Partnership, an alliance of central Iowa chambers commerce. Afterwards, Greenfield’s communications director released a written statement, saying “instead of adding more justices to the Supreme Court,” Greenfield believes campaign finance reform is the best way to make our democracy more representative.
Greenfield is challenging Republican Senator Joni Ernst’s bid for reelection. A spokesman for Ernst’s campaign blasted Greenfield for refusing to give a clear answer on whether she supports “packing” the U.S. Supreme Court with more justices.
During today’s forum, Greenfield said if elected she would not end the Senate’s filibuster rule which lets 40 of the 100 senators block votes, but Greenfield said Iowans are tired of the divisiveness and looking for bipartisan cooperation in Washington.
“I’d like to think we could make that happen,” Greenfield says. “If we can’t, I would look at reforms to the filibuster, maybe requiring that if you’re going to ask for a filibuster, you know, you show up on the Senate floor and personally make that request.”
Greenfield also supports another round of direct federal payments to individuals and businesses hit hard by the pandemic.
“We’re in a crisis right now. Too many people aren’t able to pay the rent and are wondering how they’re going to stay in their home or make the mortgage,” Greenfield said, “through no fault of their own, by the way. (They’re) hard working folks.”
Greenfield said congress should pass a “robust” package of federal pandemic relief that specifically includes expanded unemployment benefits.