State Sen. Eric Giddens (D-Cedar Falls).

Eric Giddens, 50, is the Democratic incumbent for Senate District 38. He lives with his son Henry – a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Northern Iowa – and girlfriend Alison in Cedar Falls. Sen. Giddens earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech and a Master of Science in Political Science in Applied Community Development from Illinois State University. He also holds a Secondary Mathematics Teaching Certificate from Western Governors University.

1. Why are you the best candidate for this office – what differentiates you from your opponent?

During my five years in the Iowa Senate, I have demonstrated my ability to be an effective legislator and a voice for everyone in Senate District 38 because of my collaborative skills and my calm, steady temperament. My policy making efforts in the Statehouse have always been guided by the concerns I hear from constituents and information I receive from subject matter experts. I pride myself on being highly accessible and approachable, and I take great satisfaction in helping constituents resolve issues involving state government.

My opponent claims our district has “no seat at the table” because of my political affiliation. Not only is his claim blatantly partisan, but it is also untrue. My record shows that I have worked, and will continue to work, closely with my friends across the aisle which has led to compromise and bipartisan consensus resulting in good policy that advances the state of Iowa. My approach contrasts strongly with my opponent’s, which was to chronically resist opportunities to work collaboratively with his colleagues and city staff while serving on the Cedar Falls City Council.

2. What particular issues would you like to see addressed by the Iowa Legislature in the session?

Over the last two years, I’ve visited with thousands of constituents all over Senate District 38 at their doors, in meetings, and at community events. Based on their feedback, I will continue working with my friends across the aisle on the following issues to address the high costs affecting Iowa families: providing property tax relief; improving access to high quality, affordable healthcare; controlling energy costs; and expanding access to affordable childcare. I also plan to continue doing all I can to support our public schools and our local public safety officials.

3. Please explain your position(s) on private property rights and eminent domain in Iowa.

Private property should not be taken for private gain. Eminent domain should only be used for truly public purposes.

4. Where do you stand on funding for public schools, particularly rural public schools? What is your position on the Students First Act (signed into law in January of 2023) and its recent rollout?

The Iowa legislature has provided inadequate public education funding for several years now, and our students and teachers feel that in the classroom every day. The school voucher program, i.e. the Students First Act, makes this problem even worse. I have supported various school choice policies when the state’s base responsibilities to public education were fulfilled, but every dollar diverted to private school vouchers is a dollar taken away from our public education system.

I believe private school vouchers uniquely harm rural schools. The survival of rural schools depends on adequate state funding and there are few private schools available for parents to choose as an alternative. In fact, according to the National Rural Education Association, investing in vouchers reduces resources to rural schools while it saves money for parents in urban areas.

Finally, I have had concerns with the lack of taxpayer transparency for the tax dollars being funneled into private school vouchers. Unfortunately, a recent Auditor’s report exposed a deeply concerning lack of transparency and accountability from the Iowa Department of Education in its management of the voucher program when state officials agreed to double the payments to Odyssey, the private company running the voucher program and concealed the cost hike until forced to disclose it by the State Auditor.

5. Where do you stand on access to abortion in Iowa? As of today, abortion is prohibited in Iowa after cardiac activity can be detected (roughly 6 weeks of pregnancy); there are also limited exceptions for cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormality, or when the life of the mother is in danger.

I have always stood for personal freedom and the right of Iowans to make their own healthcare choices. I will not stop fighting for the freedom of all Iowans to make their own choices and live their own lives without undue interference or restrictions from the government.

6. ‘Cancer capital,’ ‘cancer hotspot,’ ‘cancer crisis,’ – these are just some of the phrases being used to describe Iowa following a report earlier this year from the Iowa Cancer Registry – a research group at the University of Iowa – indicating Iowa has the second-highest and fastest-growing rates of new cancers among all the states. What should the Iowa Legislature do in the upcoming session to tackle this issue, an issue that is concerning to many Iowans?

I believe there is a need for action when it comes to the cancer rate in our state. I voted for an amendment (S-5218) to this year’s Health and Human Services budget bill (HF 2698) that would fund a variety of cancer research initiatives through our regent universities – to better understand the Iowa-specific causes of cancer as well as advance treatment options. Unfortunately, that amendment did not pass. I am hopeful that in the next session, we can work together in a bipartisan manner to address the causes and treatments of cancer.

7. Housing is incredibly tight currently in many rural counties including in Tama County. If elected, what legislation will you support to ensure Iowa’s rural counties are places young families can afford to live?

I have been very supportive of Iowa’s Workforce Housing Tax Credit program which provides tax benefits to developers to provide housing in Iowa communities. In addition, I co-sponsored SF 76 which requires the Iowa Finance Authority to establish a Neighborhood Housing Revitalization Assistance program to help homeowners with home improvements and repairs.

8. Iowa is predicted to end Fiscal Year 2024 with a nearly $2 billion budget surplus. How do you think the surplus should be managed?

I believe the surplus should be used to fully fund our public education system in order to keep class sizes down and stop rural school consolidation. I would also like to focus any tax reform efforts on tax cuts and tax relief that truly help all Iowa families.

9. In one sentence, why should people vote for you on November 5, 2024?

Every day, I work for the people of Tama, Black Hawk, and Benton counties to protect their rights, provide high-quality public education opportunities, keep costs down for families, and ensure affordable and accessible health care.