The Republican administration has failed us. As a student, humanitarian, and policy advocate, I understand that the state of Iowa needs change. The Branstad-Reynolds administration has attempted to take away the rights of those without the political capacity to defend themselves. The two cut mental-health support for Iowa’s most vulnerable. They slashed the education budget and put the burden of Iowa’s deficit on the backs of hardworking Iowans. They created more barriers to women’s access to health care. Terry Branstad and Kim Reynolds have made it clear that they do not have Iowa’s best interests at heart. They took Iowa in the wrong direction, but there is opportunity for change.

Gubernatorial candidate Andy McGuire is the right choice for Iowans. As a mother of seven, she envisions a better Iowa for future generations. She will prioritize students ahead of corporations and work to adequately fund higher education to support students and our future workforce.

Additionally, McGuire will increase funding for K-12 education in Iowa and provide students and teachers with the tools they need to make Iowa a leader in education again.

She has worked at the forefront of health care in Iowa. As a medical doctor in Iowa for decades, she understands the urgency of getting all Iowans access to affordable health coverage. With McGuire’s experience as a physician and business woman, she can take health care head-on and ensure stable health coverage for Iowans. She knows that health care is a right, not a privilege.

Unfortunately, Iowa ranks last in the nation for available mental-health treatment. The Branstad-Reynolds leadership allowed Iowa’s most vulnerable to go without health care and continually cut funding for mental health. McGuire is prepared to act on the mental-health crisis.

She cares about Iowans’ future. Therefore, she is committed to protecting Iowa’s natural resources and the environment. McGuire will enforce the Nutrient Reduction Strategy to improve Iowa’s water quality. As a scientist who understands that climate change is not a Chinese hoax, she comprehends the urgency of the matter. She will fight the political inaction on climate change. As the No. 2 wind-energy producer in the nation, Iowa is a leader in clean energy. However, McGuire sees more potential in Iowa’s locally created, clean energy. She will open the energy market to allow for job creation in the clean-energy sector, therefore helping to mitigate climate change.

She has Iowans and future Iowans in mind instead of corporate interests. She is the right choice for Iowa’s governor. As a born and raised Iowan, she holds Iowa close to her heart. She will not allow for political interest to disrupt progress for all Iowans. She will address concerns that Branstad-Reynolds chose not to address. I want what’s best for our state, and McGuire is the best choice to be Iowa’s next governor.

— Emily Giovannetti, University of Iowa Environmental Policy and Planning, Political Science, Geography