Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate, October 26, 2026

Right now visiting with Congresswoman Ashley Henson again a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate and Congresswoman. Thanks for taking time to visit with us again Well, Jim great to be with you and hope all is well in Boone County. Well, we're we're trying harvest is moving along Let's talk to start there a little bit You've been traveling across the state now doing your bus tour. What's it been looking like out there? Yeah, well, I know harvest is rolling because we're seeing everybody out in the field So hopefully it stays dry enough for people to get out there and do what they need to do I was talking with I had a couple farmers show up at my rally last night and they were saying they were like a month behind So hopefully everybody is out there and able to get caught up And I want to just say to all of our ag folks who are listening right now. I know things have been tough It's been a tough year tough couple years, right? We know those input costs have been really high and the markets haven't necessarily been there So we're working on that and we want to continue to keep pushing for the certainty the relief in the markets You need so that you can do what you do best, which is of course feed and fuel the world and I know how hard you work I I know how much risk you're taking every single year and right now I know a lot of you are feeling like you're doing everything right and still struggling to make the numbers work So just want everybody listening to know we hear you and there is more to do I've been very supportive of obviously e-15 getting the farm bill across the finish line and As we head toward the election next week next week, I think it's important that people know who's been a champion for agriculture I've gotten the farm bill through the house and e-15 and Obviously prop 12, which if we've got any hog farmers listening, we have the fix and the save our bacon act We're still working on getting that across the finish line too But my opponent couldn't even be bothered to show up for the farm bill vote in the Iowa legislature and and voted to allow Fake meat to be labeled as real so and then the dust tax another area where I know people Really really care about that in the ag community But also in the small business community and that's a place where we were able to double the death tax exemption in the working family's tax cut bill My opponent says he wants to undo that on day one so pretty clear choice here on November 3rd So I would ask everyone listening to get out and vote did want to right away on the ag related party You know, I almost get tired asking about the farm bill You know how it is from this side How many times can we keep talking about the farm bill and it just keeps being a challenge at least you got it out of the house Now it's the end of the Senate in and all of a sudden it kind of just drags Yeah well, the good news is is that we have the election next week and then we're back in DC right away the week after and We had actually just a couple weeks ago GT Thompson here in Iowa He visited with me and we went to Bloomsbury farm Which is a kind of agritourism business in Benton County and we were talking as we were walking around about the farm bill And how we're going to move it forward and he assured me that there are negotiations ongoing because we'll have to Obviously reconcile the house and the Senate version when that time comes But it is out of the Senate Ag Committee now Mitch McConnell was back in September to voted out a committee all the Democrats voted No, by the way, so again, it just seems like they're tone deaf on moving priorities forward for agriculture right now And the certainty that comes from a farm bill is critical to our producers So I'm encouraged by that progress I think that as soon as we get back from the election It is a must-pass piece of legislation in my mind and I'm I am optimistic We're going to be able to get that done before the end of the year several weeks ago when we had a chance to visit with you And I know you were going for a big fundraiser down down around Dallas Center Grimes But the one question I wanted to ask because I see this all the time. What was a hot topic back then? Usually might not be a hot topic a week later or or even a month later You know, you might see different things. What we're seeing is seems to me is more of an intensity in in the economy Just really things are becoming very very intense in that area Yeah, well, I would agree with you and I think as I've been traveling this day What people want is someone who's going to focus on common sense policies long-term and as we look at the choice here This is a six-year Senate term. So I'm confident we're going to get through the challenging times for our country right now But I know too many Iowans are feeling like they are priced out the American dream And I think that's because frankly there are politicians on both sides of the aisle in DC that have really Forgotten how hard people are working for a living here in Iowans and around the country and frankly I get really really tired of the people who play political games to score political points and that's just not how I've operated So what I've out there what I've been out there talking about is I've proposed a six-point plan to specifically focus on Economic kitchen table issues affecting Iowans. So energy costs. What are we doing to make sure? We're actually increasing refining capacity long-term. So we don't have these wild swings and gas prices What are we doing to lower input cost so farmers are not paying through the roof for fertilizer and those inputs What are we doing for housing to make sure that the American dream of buying your home is achievable the average age right now is over 40 for a first-time home buyer So I have legislation for example that would help people save money tax deferred for their first home Childcare that's another area where we we definitely need some more work We've made some good progress here in Iowa in terms of slots and availability But affordability and accessibility are two different things there There's a lot of folks who don't work a traditional nine-to-five job And so what more can we do to incentivize after-hours child care? I have legislation to fix that so and then finally tax certainty We passed the working families tax cut which is real relief for the average family. It's about seven weeks worth of groceries Imagine if you had a tax and spend liberal Representing you right now and the Democrats took us down a wrong path there for spending and a wide open border That's the stuff my opponent supports. He's too liberal for Iowa I'm going to continue to focus on common sense solutions and I'll work with anyone any party to get it done You know in one of those challenges you mentioned like child care to me because I get to watch this and in not just this area but so many other areas the Having it having it and making it sustainable are two different things and you know that as well as I do It does cost to have the kind of people you want operating child care to be there and and Unfortunately, we could get money to get buildings we can get money to improve facilities But having people there that you want to have there taking care of your kids Yeah, you have to support the workforce behind the workforce as I like to say and I think there are some really good pilot programs that I'm Certainly watching to see what the results are Where they've been able to use creative ways to get money in into nonprofits then that they can get out to daycare centers with Support from the business community for example, so there may be a tax incentive involved We did modernize the child tax credit and actually doubled it for working families So we are trying to make some some good progress there to help with not only affordability But I mean I get it like I I have two boys. They're out of that age now But I remember writing those child care checks. It's expensive every week It was I think more than our mortgage payment every month and then you look at you know the availability Again, I think we've done a lot to help increase availability with facilities But staffing is another part of that and I still remember the the first call I made when I found out I was pregnant with my second baby You know after telling my husband, of course was not to my parents. It was to my child care facility Yeah, do you have a space for me? That's correct. Yeah in nine months. I'm gonna need one. Yeah, and that's that's it is one of the same same things we're seeing locally here to just have a lot of infants and Again having having the ability to take care of all of them So let's talk again about the campaign yourself of running. Obviously You talked a little bit about your points and some of the reasons why you're running Let's talk a little bit about the state of the race because I know it's we're into the final push here a lot of things Are going to be going on a lot of things are going to be set out here. What do you want? What do you want voters to listen for? Well, first, let me just say there's an opportunity tomorrow 10 30 a.m. I'm gonna be in Boone County doing a rally at the GOP office there So it's 8 17 8th Street in Boone. So bring your friends family neighbors out Just go to our website Ashley Hinton comm forward slash Boone to register for that We'd love to see you and you can come out and hear from me directly if you want But if you're just listening today, I would just say this that I have a strong record of fighting to protect taxpayers Standing up for rural America and our way of life and again working to make sure we have a safe and secure country I think those are key priorities that I wins over the years have told me we need to be focusing on And that's what I bring to the table is a record of results there. It's not just rhetoric. It's results My opponent who is too liberal for Iowa Josh Turrick Barely showed up to work this year only 42% of the time and when he was there He voted to allow illegal immigrants to get taxpayer funded benefits and again Government officials and employees to work with kids to change their gender at school and keep it secret from the parents So that's his real voting record again didn't even show up to vote for the farm bill in Iowa So a clear contrast in my mind So I would just ask for people's vote as they're listening today We are eight days out from an election and I think it is a critical election But I'm ready to step up and serve you I'm in the United States Senate and it's more than just our voting record Confirmations for judges coming up and and appointees who do you want a helping decide those court cases for the future of our country? And so there's a lot at stake. Alrighty bus tour coming to moon on Tuesday, right? That is correct tomorrow 10 30 a.m. Thanks so much for visiting with us Thanks Jim for having me