National surveys put concerns about various aspects of our nation’s health care system at or near the top of voter concerns this election year. In District 9, there is an opportunity to elect to the Iowa House of Representatives a health care professional with more than three decades of patient-care experience — Ann Meyer, of Fort Dodge.

The cost of health care and state programs such as Medicaid as well as the availability of mental health treatment options will be among the issues with which lawmakers can expect to grapple in the next legislative session. Meyer is a nurse who has direct personal familiarity with a broad array of health care settings. In a legislative where most members have spent their career in other fields adding a wise, health care professional to the mix would greatly enrich the dialogue about policies that are of critical importance to just about all Iowans.

“The reason I got into the race was that we have problems with access to care, with mental health care,” she said at a recent candidate forum. “I have experience with the stuff that I want to work on. I have been a nurse for 31 years. I feel I have the experience to work on the problems. I don’t have all the answers.”

Meyer, who is the Republican candidate in District 9, will also be a strong champion of economic growth. She has seen Fort Dodge and Webster County prosper as a partnership of leaders in both the public and private sectors has implemented an ambitious and highly successful game plan to promote business investment locally. She will be an advocate in the Legislature for policies that can help make further progress easier both here and all across Iowa.

The Messenger strongly supports Ann Meyer’s candidacy. We urge voters in District 9 to cast their ballots for her. Meyer is ideally qualified to help lawmakers proceed wisely as they craft policies on health care and an array of other issues.