Ashley Hinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ashley Hinson
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Abby Finkenauer |
| Constituency | 1st district (2021–2023) 2nd district (2023–present) |
| Member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 67th district |
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| In office January 9, 2017 – January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Kraig Paulsen |
| Succeeded by | Eric Gjerde |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ashley Elizabeth Hinson
June 27, 1983 Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Matthew Arenholz
(m. 2008) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Southern California (BA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
Ashley Elizabeth Hinson (born June 27, 1983) is an American politician and former journalist. She serves as a U.S. Representative for Iowa's 2nd congressional district since 2021. Before that, she represented the 1st district during her first term. Her district covers much of northeastern Iowa, including cities like Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.
Hinson is a member of the Republican Party. She was an Iowa state representative for the 67th district from 2017 to 2021. She was the first woman to represent that district. In the 2020 election, she won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She defeated the Democratic representative, Abby Finkenauer. Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks were the first Republican women to represent Iowa in the U.S. House.
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Early Life and Education
Ashley Hinson was born in Des Moines, Iowa. She went to Valley High School in West Des Moines. Later, she studied at the University of Southern California. There, she focused on broadcast journalism, which is about reporting news for TV or radio. Hinson started her career as a news anchor for KCRG-TV.
Serving in the Iowa House
Becoming a State Representative
In 2016, Ashley Hinson decided to run for a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives. This is part of Iowa's state government that makes laws for the state. She ran for the 67th House District, which is in Linn County, Iowa. She won the election against Mark Seidl.
In 2018, Hinson ran for re-election in the same district. She won a close race against Eric Gjerde.
What She Did in the Iowa House
While serving in the Iowa House, Hinson was part of several important groups called committees. These committees study different topics and help create new laws. She served on the Judiciary Committee, which deals with laws and the justice system. She also served on the Public Safety Committee and the Transportation Committee. She was the leader, or chair, of the Transportation Committee.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Running for Congress
The 2020 Election
In 2019, Ashley Hinson announced she would run for the United States House of Representatives. This is part of the U.S. Congress, which makes laws for the entire country. She ran against the person who held the seat at the time, Abby Finkenauer. The district she ran for was Iowa's 1st congressional district.
Hinson's campaign focused on ideas like cutting taxes and improving roads and bridges. She won the Republican primary election in June 2020. In November, she won the general election against Abby Finkenauer.
The 2022 Election
After the 2020 election, the districts in Iowa were redrawn. This meant that Ashley Hinson's home in Marion became part of the new Iowa's 2nd congressional district. She decided to run for re-election in this new 2nd district. In the 2022 general election, she won against Democratic state Senator Liz Mathis.
What She Does in Congress
As a U.S. Representative, Ashley Hinson votes on many important laws. For example, she voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This plan was designed to help the country recover from the effects of the pandemic.
In 2022, Hinson voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. This law helps protect the right to same-sex marriage across the country. She also voted for a law called the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022. This law aims to stop big companies from acting in ways that prevent fair competition.
Her Work on Agriculture
In 2023, Hinson introduced a bill called the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act. This bill aimed to stop states from setting their own rules for how farm products are made if those products are sold across state lines. This was a big topic during discussions about the 2023 United States farm bill. However, her proposal was not included in the final farm bill extension.
Her Work on Infrastructure
In 2021, Hinson voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This law was passed to improve roads, bridges, and other important structures across the United States.
Her Views on Social Security
In 2020, Ashley Hinson said she was open to the idea of raising the age when people can start receiving Social Security benefits. Social Security is a program that provides money to retired people and others.
Her Committee Roles
In the 119th Congress, Ashley Hinson serves on several important committees:
- Committee on Appropriations: This committee decides how the government spends money.
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
- Subcommittee on Homeland Security
- Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party: This committee looks at how the U.S. competes with China.
- United States House Committee on Ethics: This committee deals with rules of conduct for members of Congress.
Personal Life
Ashley Hinson lives in Marion, Iowa. She is married and has two children. She is a Protestant.
See also
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
