Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, in this post we profile new Members from Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Michigan.
Iowa
Iowa will have two new Members of Congress come January, both in the House of Representatives. Republican Ashley Hinson defeated incumbent Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) to become the new representative for Iowa’s First Congressional District. Hinson is a member of the state legislature and local news anchor. On her campaign website, Hinson discusses the current skills gap in Iowa and her “support for funding for vocational schools and training programs to expand access and career options for our children.”
In addition, representing Iowa's Fourth Congressional District will be Republican Randy Feenstra, who defeated longtime incumbent Rep. Steve King (R-IA) in the Republican primary. Prior to Congress, Franklin served as a state senator, county treasurer, city administrator and faculty member at a university. There is no mention of education policy priorities on his campaign website, but he lists agriculture and tax policy as two of his main priorities in Congress.
Indiana
Indiana will have two new Members of Congress, both in the House of Representatives. In Indiana’s First Congressional District, Democrat Frank Mrvan will replace Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN), who after 18 terms did not seek re-election in 2020. Mrvan has worked as a licensed mortgage broker, pharmaceutical sales representative and township trustee. According to his campaign website, his education policy platform includes supporting teachers and he “will continue to work to ensure that public funds are dedicated to support public education.”
Republican Victoria Spartz will be the new representative for Indiana’s Fifth Congressional District, replacing Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) who is retiring at the end of the 116th Congress. Spartz owns several businesses and is a member of the state legislature. Her education policy is centered on better preparing students for workforce opportunities. Further, she believes “we need to align the cost of education with the earning potential of a career in that field, […] give flexibility to the states to improve K-12 education, reform higher education financing to improve accountability of colleges and better prepare our students to the future workforce demands.”
Kansas
Kansas will have three new Members of Congress come January, one in the Senate and two in the House. In the Senate, Rep. Roger Marshall (R-KS) will replace incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), who decided to retire after the 116th Congress. Prior to Congress, Marshall served seven years in the U.S. Army and was a practicing physician. Although Rep. Marshall did not serve on the education committee during his time in Congress, he was a member of the House CTE Caucus and active supporter of CTE.
Replacing Rep. Roger Marshall (R-KS) in Indiana’s First Congressional District will be Republican Tracey Mann. Mann is a commercial real estate broker and served as Lieutenant Governor from 2018-2019. He also served as the FFA president of his high school in his senior year. There is no mention of an education policy platform on his campaign website, and when asked about his platform he has previously stated “On the issues, I tell people I am pro-life, pro-ag, pro-gun and pro-Trump.”
Lastly, in Kansas’ Second Congressional District, Republican Jake LaTurner defeated incumbent Rep. Steve Watkins (R-KS) in the Republican Primary, then went on to win the general election in November. LaTurner is currently the state treasurer and has previously served in the state senate. LaTurner makes no mention of education policy on his campaign website but says he will advocate for much of the same agenda he promoted on the state level: addressing the national debt, imposing work requirements and drug testing for government assistance programs, limiting abortion, and protecting gun rights.
Louisiana
Louisiana will welcome one new Member of Congress in the 117th Congress. Republican Luke Letlow will replace outgoing Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-LA), who decided to retire after the 116th Congress. Letlow has previously worked in government affairs, state government and as a congressional staffer, most recently as Rep. Abraham’s Chief of Staff. Although there is no mention of education policy on his campaign website, his former boss Rep. Abraham is a member of the House CTE Caucus.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts will also only welcome one new Member of Congress in the 117th Congress. Democrat Jake Auchincloss will replace outgoing Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate. Auchincloss is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, businessman, and city councilman. Auchincloss’ education platform includes “fighting against Republican cuts to federal education aid, and championing early education, technical/vocational education, and student debt relief.”
Michigan
Michigan will have two new Members of Congress come January, both in the House of Representatives. In Michigan’s Third Congressional District, Republican Peter Meijer will replace Rep. Justin Amash (L-MI), who is retiring after the 116th Congress. Auchincloss is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves, having served a tour of duty in Iraq, and is a businessman. He believes that education should be primarily a state and local responsibility, and supports “school choice, the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act, and other efforts by President Trump and Secretary DeVos to ensure access to a quality education for every American child.”
Republican Lisa McClain will replace the retiring Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI) and become the new representative for Michigan’s Tenth Congressional District. McClain is a businesswoman, having worked in the financial services industry for the past decade. McClain’s campaign website makes no mention of her education policy platform.
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