Cedar Falls small-business owner and community leader Sarah Corkery announced Wednesday that she will seek the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House seat in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.
Her announcement sets up a challenge to U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, a two-term incumbent from Marion.
Corkery said she is running for Congress to bring down the cost of health care. Corkery, who has a background in health care marketing and is a two-time breast cancer survivor, said Hinson’s record of voting against laws that would bring down the cost of health care is what spurred her to run.
Corkery criticized Hinson for not signing onto the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act that would expedite the payment of social security benefits to those diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer and would eliminate the 24-month waiting period for eligibility for Medicare. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, co-sponsored the Senate version of the bill.
“I benefited from a wonderful support system of family and friends to help close the gaps left by the days spent in treatment. But many others that are in the same situation aren’t so lucky,” Corkery said in a news release. “Under Ashley Hinson’s leadership, a catastrophic health diagnosis still means choosing between paying your mortgage or paying your medical bills.”
Hinson has since signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. According to congressional records, she signed on as a co-sponsor on Tuesday.
Corkery also pointed to Hinson’s vote against a bipartisan infrastructure law and a bill that would cap the cost of insulin at $35.
“It is clear that Ashley Hinson is unwilling to advocate for Iowa families,” Corkery said. “I look forward to holding Representative Hinson accountable for her partisan record.”
Hinson explained her vote against the bipartisan infrastructure law during the lead-up to the vote in 2021 on a September 2021 airing of Iowa Press on Iowa PBS. Hinson said the bills do not have “enough on actual roads and bridges which are what’s important to Iowans.”
Hinson said she voted against the insulin cap because she believed it would raise premiums and other health care costs.
Corkery also criticized Hinson’s support for a nationwide abortion ban in her Wednesday statement.
“Iowans deserve better than a Representative who puts partisan politics over our health care needs — including the right to make personal medical decisions without government intervention,” Corkery said.
Hinson’s campaign manager Addie Lavis said Corkery will be a “rubber-stamp for the radical Biden agenda” in a statement on Tuesday.
“We can’t wait to contrast Sarah’s extreme, liberal views with Ashley’s record of delivering conservative results for Iowans,” Lavis said.
The 2nd Congressional District is rated as “solid Republican” meaning the race is unlikely to be competitive, according to the Cook Political Report.
Hinson won her reelection over Hiawatha Democrat Liz Mathis in 2022 by over 30,000 votes. In 2020, Hinson unseated first-term Democrat Abby Finkenauer in 2020. Hinson formerly represented Marion in the Iowa Legislature and formerly anchored KCRG TV-9.
Corkery was formerly the Vice President of Marketing at Veridian Credit Union before starting a small marketing firm with her husband Chris.