Mathis, Hinson. (KCRG TV photo)
The candidates in Iowa’s new second congressional district revived their strong disagreements over abortion policy during a joint TV appearance tonight.
Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, is seeking a second term in the U.S. House. “I think it’s important we have some sort of conversation about how we protect life in this country,” Hinson said. “…It’s why I’ve supported a variety of pro-life policies.”
Liz Mathis of Hiawatha is the Democrat running against Hinson. “I will codify Roe when I get into Washington,” Mathis said. “I will also take government out of women’s health care decisions.”
Both candidates said the situation at America’s southern border is dire. Mathis suggested new technology could help speed up asylum hearings.
“I think the Biden Administration has failed at the border,” Mathis said. “When we look at pictures, it looks like chaos and so I believe that we need to hire more border patrol…They’re doing paperwork there and paperwork that is late is making people languish at the border.”
Hinson said the federal government should hire more agents for the border patrol rather than the IRS. “Let’s talk about technology,” said Hinson, who spoke on the issue after Mathis. “I’ve helped as a part of the Homeland Security Appropriations Committee to fund technology that allows us to use drones and specialty cameras to help monitor our southern border so we can stop these bad guys trying to make their way into our country.”
The candidates debated on KCRG TV, where both had worked in the past as on-air journalists. Television stations KCCI in Des Moines and KWQC in the Quad Cities were co-sponsors. Hinson and Mathis will debate once more — next Tuesday, October 18th, on Iowa PBS.
The new second congressional district includes the cities of Cedar Rapids at its center, Dubuque of the northeast and Mason City the northwest side of the district.