Tracy Ehlert faces challenger Barclay Woerner in race for Iowa House District 79

A Democratic incumbent said she is focused on boosting the state’s workforce by investing more in child care and public schools, while a Republican challenger said he is focused on continuing to cut taxes.

Linn County Republicans this summer nominated Barclay Woerner as the party’s candidate to run. Iowa House District 79 in the November 5 elections.

The district covers the northwest area of ​​Cedar Rapids and is represented by Democrat Tracy Ehlert. Ehlert, an early childhood educator and business owner, is running for reelection to a fourth term.

Tracy Ehlert

Ehlert told The Gazette he is running to increase wages and benefits for Iowa workers, support good-paying jobs and expand access to affordable health care in the state, particularly for Iowans battling cancer.

Ehlert, 46, was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and spent the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions receiving treatment.

He said he is also running to increase the state’s investment in public K-12 and postsecondary education, “while making sure we focus on our youngest students and support early childhood education as well.”

“While I want to be a good steward of tax dollars, there are some areas that need more investment,” Ehlert he wrote in a Gazette candidate questionnaire..

“Families are spending the equivalent of college tuition to pay for child care and that’s for those who can actually find a place for their children,” Ehlert said. “There are still many families without care. “We must continue to address child care deserts and that will require more funding.”

Additionally, class sizes are too large and Iowa schools are dealing with a shortage of bus drivers and paraeducators due to low salaries, Ehlert wrote. College tuition costs are also rising, impacting Iowa students who want to stay after graduation.

“When schools are adequately funded, they can better invest in the children they serve,” he said, adding that policymakers should be cautious about setting curricular standards and using “science-based and not science-driven” curriculum. for an agenda.”

Iowa also lacks a comprehensive children’s mental health system, which was never fully funded despite initial creation efforts. The current system faces problems such as limited providers and facilities and long waiting lists, which takes a toll on children and families, Ehlert said.

“Iowa children and their families deserve a better system,” he wrote.

Ehlert said she opposes restrictions on abortion and that women should be allowed to make their own decisions about their health care. He was also reluctant to support a complete ban on the use of handheld mobile devices while driving without looking at the exact legislation.

Barclay Woerner

Wörner ran unsuccessfully for Cedar Rapids school board in 2021 and 2023. It was endorsed by Moms for Liberty-Linn County, a conservative political organization that advocates against school curricula that reference LGBTQ+ rights and racial and ethnic discrimination in the United States.

The Southern Poverty Law Centera civil rights watchdog last year identified the national nonprofit as an “extremist” coalition of “far-right anti-government parents” known for “bullying and harassing teachers and school officials.” The conservative school activist group maintains that the label is false and defamatory.

Wörner, 53 years old, he told The Gazette in August He is running to reduce taxes, support law enforcement in Iowa, and give parents a greater voice in education. He said he supports a proposal by Republican lawmakers to further reduce Iowa income taxes and reduce property taxes.

Woerner said his family and many others in the state continue to struggle with high grocery and gas prices and increased property tax payments, and are seeking relief.

“I am committed to decreasing the tax burden on Iowa families and finding solutions to the rising property taxes we face. “Iowans deserve to keep their hard-earned money to care for their families and invest in their communities,” he said. he wrote in an opinion piece published by The Gazette.

Woerner did not return a candidate questionnaire from The Gazette.

A nonpartisan state panel earlier this month issued projections predicting a $200 million shortfall in state revenue driven primarily by reductions in state income tax rates. Starting in May there was $2.4 billion unspent into the state’s general fund for the current budget year. The state also has another $3.7 billion in your Taxpayer Assistance Fund, which was created to cover any potential shortfalls as a result of state tax reductions.

Critics argue that accelerated cuts will put even more pressure on underfunded schools and public services.

Woerner said she is also running to give a voice to parents of students with special needs amid ongoing changes in the state’s area educational agencies. Woerner, whose son has difficulty reading, said he supports the changes.

“Competition is good,” he said, adding that the AEA change provides greater transparency and accountability for how services are provided to students with disabilities, in addition to increasing teacher pay.

Woerner, in his op-ed, said he is committed to ensuring that “every student receives the opportunities they need to have a bright future,” whether they go to a vocational school, a community college, a four-year university or enter into the workforce after finishing high school. school.

District Voter Breakdown

Iowa House District 79 has a total of 21,532 registered voters, of which 6,057 are inactive. Of active voters, 6,309 are registered as Democrats and 3,946 as Republicans. There are also 108 active voters registered as Libertarians, 5,087 registered without a party and 25 registered as other parties, according to data from October 1, Iowa Secretary of State’s Office.

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