Dear Congresswoman Ashley Hinson,
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
We write to you today as Independents, Republicans, and Democrats. We are former educators from West Des Moines, the school district where you were raised and received an excellent education. We have spent our careers teaching our students various disciplines so they can develop the knowledge, skills, and character to thrive in a diverse and changing world. We taught our students to be decent, upstanding people… to be proud Iowans…to promote peace…to be fair and just…to be kind…to be fiscally responsible…to help the less fortunate…to respect nature…to value education…to seek the truth…to be healthy…to make friends…to be honest…to accept others…to have integrity…and to take responsibility for their actions.
We want you to know how disappointed we are with you as a United States Congresswoman. Your votes, allegiances, and beliefs do not represent common decency, the heart of what we wanted you to learn here. We believe it is not the time for you to graduate to the United States Senate but rather for you to reflect. Who have you become?
As a United States Congresswoman, here’s how you have failed to demonstrate decency.
Hurting Iowans:
Your support of the president’s reckless tariffs eliminated future markets to sell Iowa’s crops. The miraculous bailout, Farmers Bridge Assistance Program, was “insufficient and too late.”1 Iowa now has the third-largest number of farm bankruptcies and ranks last for economic performance and growth.3 Why did you vote against Iowa?
Starting Wars:
Your support of the president’s reckless tariffs eliminated future markets to sell Iowa’s crops. The miraculous bailout, Farmers Bridge Assistance Program, was “insufficient and too late.”1 Iowa now has the third-largest number of farm bankruptcies and ranks last for economic performance and growth.3 Why did you vote against Iowa?
Kidnapping Immigrants:
You supported an administration that has ripped legal “temporary protected status”6 away from courageous immigrants who came to America for a better life. By staying silent, you supported criminalizing immigration, detaining people, deporting long-time residents, and separating families without due process of law.7 Two American citizen protesters were killed by ICE. You stated that you “stand with ICE”8 and helped introduce the “Protect and Respect ICE Act.”9 Why don’t you want to be kind, fair and just?
Spending Recklessly:
You touted protecting tax payers “hard-earned dollars”10 and giving the middle class a tax break, but then you voted to add $3.4 trillion11 to our national debt of over $39 trillion.12 Tax payers have already spent over $25 billion for the war in Iran.13 You support a president who is asking for another $200 billion14 for war on top of a $1.5 trillion (40% increase) defense budget request for 2027.15 Why aren’t you fiscally responsible?
Starving Americans:
To fund tax breaks for billionaires (only two in Iowa), you voted for cuts to SNAP, impacting 270,000 users in Iowa.16 The proposed Republican Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) threshold for free school lunches will impact 122,946 hungry children in Iowa.17. Why don’t you help the less fortunate?
Destroying Nature:
You voted to reverse public land protections fast-track fossil fuels.18 You cheered on our president who withdrew from the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change,19 reversed protections in the Clean Air20 and Water Acts,21 and gutted the EPA.22 You supported these actions despite Iowa’s cancer rates and nitrate numbers being among the highest in the nation. Why don’t you respect nature?
Defunding Education:
You received an outstanding public education in West Des Moines. However, now because of your record of defunding districts and privatizing education in Iowa,23 we are fearful of what you will do to further dismantle public education as a senator. You back an administration who has hollowed out the Department of Education, reversed civil rights protections, wiped out higher education funds, and eliminated programs for our most vulnerable students.24 Why don’t you value education for others?
Taking Down the Media:
As a former broadcaster, you stayed silent as Republican-aligned, FCC’s Brendan Carr celebrated departed journalists and the Larry Ellison consolidated propaganda monopoly.25 You dismantled news by voting to cut PBS and NPR,26 citing they “are no longer a good use of taxpayer dollars.”27 Why are you afraid of the truth?
Eliminating Health Care:
You voted for at least 86,000 Iowans to become uninsured.28 Rural hospitals are being forced to cut services and close.29 Iowa is ranked as one of the lowest for female health providers.30 As a United States Senator, you would be able to confirm appointees who disregard science and slash medical research, making us more vulnerable to outbreaks (like measles) and life-threatening diseases. Why don’t you want others to be healthy?
Alienating Allies:
You supported the president as he alienated our oldest allies by imposing extreme tariffs, threatening to take Greenland,31 insulting NATO countries,32 and suggesting Ukraine shares blame for the war with Russia.33 You even voted34 to support the president’s emergency tariffs on Canada when many of your Republican colleagues did not.35 Why do you want to hurt our friends?
Lying to Constituents:
Honesty is important. Your personal ambition has clouded your character. In 2022, you tweeted that you “secured $829 million in federal funding to upgrade locks and dams along the Upper Mississippi River,” when you actually voted against it.36 In 2024 you stated, “FEMA has spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars supporting illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, Americans impacted by horrific natural disasters…are left in the lurch.”37 This wasn’t true. Your constituents who know you, boo you, and call you a liar.38 Why aren’t you honest?
Disapproving of Others:
You displayed your disapproval when you publicly posted, “woke nonsense will not be tolerated“39 and supported DOGE cuts40 which dismantled funding, programming, and practices to help people of color.41 You also voted against marriage equality in 2022 when 39 of your Republican colleagues backed the bipartisan legislation.42 Why don’t you accept others?
Dismantling the Future:
The saddest part of your legacy so closely coupled with our current president is our future. War rages, economies teeter, lies replace truth, authoritarianism creeps, rule of law is ignored, international agreements are erased, allies are abused, citizens are murdered, and science is dismissed. As the world watches, our global standing diminishes. Our future power vanishes. Why don’t you take responsibility for your actions?
We are saddened and disappointed by your votes, loyalties, and words as a United States Congresswoman. You are failing your state and country. Your actions are antithetical to good and just decency. We hoped you had learned stronger values after being raised in West Des Moines. As we would love to encourage a former student and native of our community to follow her ambitions, our fragile country and world deserve better. Iowa needs a senator who will lead with decency.
Therefore, as educators, citizens, and Iowans, we oppose your candidacy for the United States Senate.
Sincerely, West Des Moines Educators from Iowans For Decency
