The three Democrats running for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District’s seat debated issues in a candidate forum Monday evening.
Candidates Dave Dawson, Stephanie Steiner, and Ashley WolfTornabane several times said they prefer the money going towards the war in Iran be instead directed to healthcare.
During the forum, the candidates discussed the rising costs of living and environmental issues.
Stiener responded to a question on the environment. She said the federal government needs to reestablish the Environmental Protection Agency, verify what mitigation plans are in place for pipeline leaks, and look into other sources of energy such as geothermal.
During the forum Dawson said one of the main reasons he is running is healthcare. He mentioned how the 2025 federal budget bill known as the Big Beautiful Bill cut nearly a trillion dollars from Medicaid, significantly impacting those who relied on the program and healthcare systems in general. He aims to restore the funding and expand healthcare coverage.
“No one should go into debt and no one should die as a result of lack of access to healthcare,” said Dawson.
Additionally, WolfTornabane talked about the cost of living, saying the country needs to adjust the minimum wage. She added instead of a flat federal rate, it needs to work on a formula based on each state’s expenses. WolfTornabane mentioned how nine states have already implemented a similar system.
There were multiple times when all three candidates agreed on certain issues, such as the need to diversify crops to mitigate nitrates in water and to meet food supply demand. The candidates also mentioned how Congress needs to regain control over spending and refocus the country’s priorities.
The Woodbury County Democrats, along with Morningside University Democrats, held the debate on the university’s campus. The Democratic winner in the June primary will advance to the November election.
Randy Feenstra currently holds the seat for Iowa’s fourth congressional district. Feenstra is not seeking reelection for the position, as he is running for governor. The Democratic candidates are running against Republican Chris McGowan and Independent Jermaine Decker.
