Theresa Greenfield

What are three of the most important issues Iowa will face during your six-year term as a U.S. Senator?

Three of my priorities will be fighting to protect and expand access to health care, creating good-paying jobs and taking action to end political corruption.

I’ll work to strengthen our health care system by creating a public option, protecting the Medicaid expansion, and allowing Medicare to negotiate with prescription drug companies.

To create good-paying jobs, I’ll work to expand access to capital for small businesses, invest in skills training and pass a robust infrastructure package.

We need to get big money out of politics. My plan to end political corruption includes overturning Citizens United, banning dark money and PACs and enacting a lifetime ban on lobbying for members of Congress.

What should be done to strengthen local options and assure all Iowans have adequate and affordable health care?

Iowans are worried about higher costs, losing coverage, keeping hospitals open and lowering the cost of prescriptions.

I’ll work to make sure everyone has access to care. I’ll fight to protect Iowa’s Medicaid expansion, create a public health insurance option that folks can buy, cap drug costs and allow Medicare to negotiate with drug companies.

What can be done in the U.S. Senate to provide relief to Iowa farmers?

Farm bankruptcies are at an eight-year high and net farm income is down 75% since 2013. There are many reasons why farmers and agricultural communities have been struggling: haphazard trade policies, historic flooding and the pandemic.

My plan focuses on supporting Iowa’s farm economy and biofuels industry, rebuilding markets and investing in economic opportunities for rural communities. It is vital we have trade policies that work for farmers, while protecting and creating jobs in agricultural and manufacturing industries. We must create more financial incentives for farmers who choose to employ conservation practices.

We have to do more to support the ethanol industry instead of giving handouts to oil companies. Following reports of the EPA considering over 50 new so-called gap year waivers, I called for EPA Administrator Wheeler’s resignation in June.

Where do you stand on immigration reform?

We need to fix our broken immigration system to create a welcoming system that can grow our economy.

I’ll work with leaders on both sides of the aisle to create solutions that keep families together, keep us safe and grow our economy.

What should the federal government do to assure Americans continue to receive assistance in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic?

I’ve put out two plans focused on putting Iowa’s workers and small businesses first in the fight against COVID-19.

I’ve called for expanded Federal unemployment insurance, help for small businesses and direct payments to workers.

We need to make sure essential workers are getting help.

We need to expand paid sick leave for workers because no one should have to choose between going to work sick, or staying home to take care of themselves or their family and maybe losing their job.

How would you differentiate yourself from your opponent?

I’m not taking a dime of corporate PAC money. I’m a businesswoman, a mother of four and a farm kid, and I believe we need leaders in Washington who know what it’s like to go through tough times and come out stronger.

Washington should work more like small towns, small businesses and farms here in Iowa. But it’s corrupted by special interests and Senator Ernst is a part of the problem. She promised to be independent, but she’s taken more than $2 million in PAC money, and she’s voted with Mitch McConnell to give tax breaks to corporations and to gut health care protections.

I’ve felt the pain farmers are feeling today. I’m passionate about Social Security, and I’ll never forget how it was there for me when I needed a hand up as a young widow. Unlike Senator Ernst, Iowans know that they can count on me to fight for them.