Former Iowa Congresswomen Abby Finkenauer, who represented Iowa’s 1st Congressional District for one term in 2019-2020, has announced her candidacy to run for US Senate. Finkenauer tells KNIA News among many of her priorities if elected to be the Democratic Party candidate after the primary will be to campaign on getting rid of gerrymandering, the practice of drawing districts to favor or exclude certain voters and secure control of an area.

“You’ve got these folks in congressional districts, whether it is in Texas or California, and these seats are either so far right or so far left, super red or super blue seats, and they are afraid to even talk to the other side because they might get primaried if they do. That’s now how our country should work, you shouldn’t be able to draw districts based on political parties or based on race, that’s not how our country is supposed to work, it is truly breaking our politics.”

Finkenauer also said she can point to Iowa’s example for drawing districts, as it is done in a non-partisan manner and that is why the districts are so competitive and representatives have to listen to every voter and not just pander to supporters.