This year, ISU students face tough decisions about presidential and congressional races. The big ticket races are flashy and consume millions of dollars in Super PAC funds, but there is one race on the ballot that more directly affects your time at Iowa State than any other: the race for Iowa Congress.

Lisa Heddens is everything I want in a representative of Ames and Iowa State.

Rep. Heddens is an advocate for education. Her daughter recently graduated from Iowa State, so Heddens understands the huge issue of debt facing students. When the Iowa House puts forward a bill to cut funding for public universities by $31 million, Heddens was there to fight it every step of the way. Thanks to the work of Heddens and other Democrats in the Iowa Legislature, funding for Iowa’s public universities increased by $23 million. This money has been used for much-needed renovations, lab space and instructors to keep Iowa State’s education at a world-class level.

Heddens is a graduate of Iowa State, with a degree in elementary education. As a resident of Ames for 28 years, she has deep connections in the community, as well as an understanding of what our community needs. She understands the dire job market for new graduates and how it affects the Ames community. Lisa Heddens voted to maintain Iowa’s statewide preschool program. She also voted to create new state incentives to attract jobs and businesses to Iowa, while encouraging more research and development at Iowa State.

As vice president of the ISU College Democrats, it has been my extreme pleasure working with Heddens to educate students about local issues. She has always been willing to come talk to our group, and to spend her precious time making sure her constituents are well-informed in the classroom as well as the voting booth. Lisa Heddens is a friend of ISU students, and that is why she has my vote.