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Today's edition of The Messenger features information on the candidates from the area running for the state House of Representatives.
In House District 8, Republican state Rep. Ann Meyer, of Fort Dodge and Democrat Kris Williams, of Fort Dodge are competing. Meyer is seeking her fifth term. Williams is making his first run of public office.
House District 8 includes Fort Dodge and eastern Webster County.
In House District 7 Republican state Rep. Wendy Larson, of Odebolt, faces Democrat Rachel Burns, also of Odebolt.
Larson defeated Burns in a December 2025 special election to replace former state Rep. Mike Sexton, who resigned to become the U.S. Department of Agriculture's director of rural development for Iowa. Larson is now seeking her first full term in the House.
House District 7 includes Calhoun, Pocahontas and Sac counties plus western Webster County.
Each candidate submitted answers to questions posed to them by The Messenger. Their answers to those questions are on page A8 of today's edition.
Rep. Wendy Larson, Republican, House District 7
Why should voters pick you?
I represent the conservative values of House District 7, and I believe effective leadership starts with listening. I am willing to hear both sides of an issue, ask questions, and listen to what matters most to my constituents before making decisions.
I earned over 70 percent of the vote in the December 2025 special election by actively engaging with our communities and personally knocking on thousands of doors. I believe that kind of engagement is essential to representing the people well.
I stand firmly for private property rights, protecting the unborn, safeguarding women and girls in bathrooms and sports, and defending parents’ rights to make decisions about their children’s health care and education. I believe families --not government -- should have the primary voice in raising their children. I will continue to stand up for our constitutional freedoms, our conservative values, and the people of District 7.
What would be your No. 1 priority upon taking office?
My top priority is to be a strong, accessible, and transparent voice for the people of District 7. I ran for office because I believe our communities deserve meaningful representation at the Capitol, and I want constituents to know their voices matter.
I also believe we must address Iowa’s troubling cancer rates. With decades of experience in the health and wellness industry focused on disease prevention, I bring a unique perspective to this issue. I want to help identify the contributing factors, support sound research, and pursue practical solutions that protect the health of Iowa families.
Do you believe the state government has a deficit? If so, what would you propose to do about it?
Iowa is in a strong fiscal position because of responsible budgeting and conservative financial management. Although state revenues have declined following intentional tax relief, Republicans planned for that transition. House Appropriations Chairman Gary Mohr recently reported that Iowa had more than $6 billion in cash on hand and reserve funds at their statutory maximums, demonstrating the strength of our state’s financial foundation.
The government should live within its means, just as Iowa families do. I support balanced budgets, responsible spending, prioritizing essential services, and making sure taxpayer dollars are used wisely. We must continue eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy, encouraging economic growth, and creating an environment where businesses can invest, expand, and provide good-paying jobs.
Iowa families deserve a government that respects their hard-earned money and protects our state’s long-term financial health.
What would you propose to help Iowans cope with the high cost of living?
I understand that rising expenses put pressure on Iowa families because I feel those increases, too. At the same time, Iowa remains one of the more affordable states in the nation. According to MERIC’s second-quarter cost-of-living index, Iowa ranked third-lowest in the country, with overall costs nearly 14 percent below the national average and housing costs nearly 30 percent below average.
While those numbers are encouraging, they don’t eliminate the financial challenges many families face. I believe we need to continue pursuing responsible tax relief, controlling government spending, reducing unnecessary regulations, and supporting policies that allow Iowa businesses and workers to thrive.
I also believe in practical, personal financial management. When household expenses rise, reviewing monthly budgets, trimming unused streaming services and subscriptions, and comparing insurance policies and cell phone plans can help identify savings.
Government has a role in creating an environment where families can succeed, but it cannot solve every financial challenge. We need responsible government and empowered families.
What would you propose to do about the high incidence of cancer in Iowa?
Iowa’s cancer rates are deeply concerning, and behind every statistic is a family facing fear, uncertainty, and heartbreak. Iowa has ranked among the highest states in the nation for new cancer diagnoses, and we need to understand why.
With decades of experience in the health and wellness industry and a background in disease prevention, I believe we must take a comprehensive approach. There is no single explanation for Iowa’s cancer rates, so we need to investigate the contributing factors rather than assume one cause is responsible.
We know there are risk factors we can address. Unfortunately, we have beaten Wisconsin in binge drinking and rank ninth in the US for obesity. Smoking is the leading cause of deadly lung cancer. One in eight Iowa adults smoke. Radon is the second leading cause and Iowa's rich farmland is loaded with radon gas. Tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer, and radon is the second-leading cause. We also need to examine environmental exposures, water quality, lifestyle factors, and other potential contributors through credible research.
During the last legislative session, we allocated $5.5 million for water quality monitoring, passed legislation providing $3 million annually for pediatric cancer research, and passed a radon mitigation bill for new residential construction. These are important steps toward better understanding and addressing health risks.
Moving forward, I will continue advocating for research, prevention, improved water quality, and responsible policies grounded in sound science. We must ask difficult questions, follow the evidence wherever it leads, and work toward meaningful solutions.
Iowa families deserve answers, and they deserve action. My goal is to help identify the contributing factors, reduce preventable risks, and ensure we are doing everything we reasonably can to protect the health of future generations.
Rachel Burns, Democrat, House District 7
Why should the voters pick you?
I am a lifelong public servant who has demonstrated putting community over self since I was in middle school. By 13, I was volunteering at an early intervention center serving infants and toddlers with special needs. I've been a speech-language pathologist for 20 years, with 11 of those in Iowa's Area Education Agency (AEA) system. I was a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT) for 12 years and I continue to serve my neighbors as a private practice speech therapist, an adjunct professor for community college, and a medical examiner investigator in two counties. Serving House District 7 as your elected representative is the next step in my call to service.
I've been called "eminently qualified" due to my background, but it is my personal character that has brought me to the next level of serving my community. I built a transporting ambulance service from the ground up where one did not exist after being told our little town didn't matter. I started my small business when consultants told me it was too risky. We need to elect individuals who have the critical thinking skills to work together for the greatest good for the greatest number of people - and that is what I bring to my candidacy.
What would be your No. 1 priority upon taking office?
My neighbors in District 7 are repeatedly sharing their struggles with health care insurance and access to quality health care. As a speech-language pathologist in private practice, I can tell you that having corporations with headquarters out of state controlling our Medicaid and HAWK -I has failed. We need to de-privatize those systems and bring jobs (along with the income tax they generate) back to Iowa.
Do you believe the state government has a budget deficit? If so, what would you propose to do about it?
It is clear that our state is in a massive deficit given that the budget far exceeds the revenue coming in. I would like to see the progressive income tax reinstated instead of the flat income tax rate that has given huge breaks to the wealthiest individuals while harming those who make the least over the past several years.
It's time to raise Iowa's minimum wage because no one can live on $7.25 per hour. An increased minimum wage would help people want to fill and stay in jobs, thus providing increased income tax revenue.
What would you propose to help Iowans cope with the high cost of living?
Let's elect regular, working Iowans to represent us. We can increase the minimum wage and index it to the cost of living. Our state legislature should protect Iowans by working for safeguards against corporate greed and putting people over profit. We need to implement systems to make daycare affordable so parents who want to work outside the home can do so. We need to support small business owners more effectively so they can hire employees, keep small towns thriving, and build something our grown children will want to stick around for. Most importantly, we need to build an Iowa that gives us a better quality of living. Our health and our ability to have leisure time shouldn't be given up just so we can work constantly to make ends meet.
What would you propose to do about the rising incidence of cancer in Iowa?
Iowa is doing a fine job of cancer treatment. Iowa is not doing enough for cancer prevention. We need to restore the funding for water quality monitoring that was cut. We need to support small farmers in their efforts to grow food to sell locally, especially when they are following practices that move us towards healthier soil and water (which they often understand best how to do because they are stewards of the land). We need affordable, accessible health care so that everyone will be able to have routine, preventative visits. Let's feed kids in public schools by placing healthy meals from local sources in front of them every day.
Serving in the legislature isn't about being an expert on every topic. It's about getting a group of caring individuals from diverse backgrounds together who know how to use science and data to solve problems.
Kris Williams, Democrat, House District 8
Why should the voters pick you?
Because I’m fighting for working people, not corporate donors. I’m not a politician – I’m a neighbor who’s lived through the failures of our system. I grew up experiencing homelessness and moved over 30 times before I was 18, including time in foster care. I was helping buy groceries for my family by 16, and I earned my degree while working fulltime. I’ve worked the jobs my neighbors work. I don’t take a dime of corporate PAC money. I’ve knocked over 3,500 doors in this district because I believe in showing up and listening, not just asking for your vote. I’ll fight for clean water, money out of politics, and a future we can afford.
What would be your No. 1 priority upon taking office?
Clean water. Every Iowan should be able to trust what comes out of the tap and swim in our lakes without worrying about getting sick. Iowa has the highest cancer rate in the nation, and our water is contaminated with nitrates and PFAS from industrial runoff. I’ll fight for mandatory nitrate limits with enforceable deadlines, 24-hour public notice for CAFO spills, free well water testing for rural households, and restored funding for our water sensor network. Clean water should be a basic right.
Do you believe the state government has a budget deficit? If so, what would you propose to do about it?
Yes. It’s something even Kim Reynolds acknowledges, but she believes we should cut programs before going into debt. Iowa faces a $1.2 billion deficit created by over a decade of tax cuts for the wealthiest Iowans and corporations. I propose restoring a progressive tax system and closing corporate loopholes – not cutting services like Head Start, rural fire departments, or food assistance. We should ask those at the top to pay their fair share, not balance the budget on the backs of working families.
What would you propose to help Iowans cope with the high cost of living?
We need to put people over profit. That means raising the minimum wage to a living wage and restoring collective bargaining rights so workers can negotiate for better pay. It means capping prescription drug prices and ending Medicaid privatization. It means investing in affordable housing and universal childcare. Also, it means shifting the tax burden off working families by restoring a progressive tax system – including taxing wealth the way we tax property. None of that happens until we get corporate money out of elections, so legislators serve us and not their donors.
What would you propose to do about the rising incidence of cancer in Iowa?
Iowa has the highest cancer rate in the nation, and it’s not a coincidence. Our water is contaminated with nitrates and PFAS from industrial agriculture runoff. I’ll fight to hold corporate polluters accountable with fines that actually hurt, require mandatory nitrate limits with enforceable deadlines, strengthen environmental protections, and restore the water sensor network that was defunded.
We also need to expand rural health care access so Iowans can get screened and treated close to home, not drive an hour for care that used to be down the road.
Rep. Ann Meyer, Republican, House District 8
Why should the voters pick you?
The voters should choose me because I have a track record of being responsive to the citizens of Webster County and getting things done. Over the last eight years, I have made it a priority to listen to you and bring your concerns to the Capitol.
I am proud of all the work we've done and bills I have introduced that have become law, from making sure that we train and retain more health care professionals in every part of the state, to hands free driving, to making sure those driving commercial vehicles on Iowa roads are proficient in English, to increasing rates for foster parents and mental health providers. All of these bills that became law started from one of my constituents reaching out to me as their state representative. That's my job – making sure that your voices are heard at the Capitol. Strong representation means having a proven voice in office. I would be honored to earn your vote to continue serving you.
What would be your No. 1 priority upon taking office?
I currently serve as the chairman of the House Health and Human Services Appropriation Committee. The HHS Budget appropriates over $2.5 billion of state dollars to fund the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs. My main focus in the legislature will continue to be increasing access to health care, including mental health services, disability services, and maternal health while still being a responsible steward of taxpayer money.
Access to health care starts with training and retaining more health care professionals, and we've made significant progress to that goal with policy and investment in that area, from expanding medical residency programs to train Iowans at University of Iowa, increasing the percentage of Iowa students at University of Iowa for medical and dental schools, student loan repayment for health professionals that commit to practice in rural Iowa, and increasing reimbursement rates.
Do you believe the state government has a deficit? If so, what would you propose to do about it?
The state does not have a deficit. In fact, the state has a very healthy balance sheet. On June 30, which was the end of the last budget year, the state had a total of $5.7 billion in its General Fund account, reserve accounts, and the Taxpayer Relief Fund. And while tax revenue declined the last two years as Iowans got to keep more of their hard-earned money, tax receipts are growing once again and are expected to continue growing during the next two years.
Protecting Iowa's financial health requires tough choices and disciplined budgeting--and that is exactly what I will continue to deliver.
What would you propose to help Iowans cope with the high cost of living?
Realistically, the legislature has no power to dictate prices. What we can do is help everyday citizens keep more of their hard-earned money. That is why I supported historic Iowa income tax reductions that save the average Iowa family of four over $3,000 annually, along with critical property tax reforms that give taxpayers long-term predictability. I also successfully opposed raising the gas tax to protect my constituents from extra burdens at the pump.
We must also confront the hidden drivers of high prices. Fraud in our safety net programs forces taxpayers to pick up an unfair tab, while retail theft directly inflates the cost of everyday goods and drives up insurance premiums. By funding our priorities without overspending, keeping taxes low, and holding criminals accountable, we can effectively lower the cost of living and protect Iowa family's budgets.
What would you propose to do about the high rate of cancer in Iowa?
The legislature funded an independent study by the University of Iowa to truly dig into our cancer rates and determine causes. The report came back recently and found that 76 percent of our excess rates come from personal choices, like smoking, alcohol, and obesity, as well as radon. That gives us a clear opportunity to do more with prevention. I look forward to seeing the results from the University of Iowa on the remaining 24 percent of cases, but in the meantime, I have voted to ban prior authorizations for cancer screenings so patients aren't delayed by insurance red tape, funded millions in new pediatric cancer research, funding water quality improvements and requiring residential construction to include radon mitigation. As HHS Budget Chair, we fund radon testing and the Rural Health Transformation Program builds on that work with $240 million directed to cancer-related services over the next four years.
As the independent report by University of Iowa finds that living a healthy lifestyle will decrease cancer incidence, I have also supported legislation targeted at soda and candy purchases by SNAP, limiting harmful dyes in school and increasing physical activity.