Ivy Schuster announces candidacy for Iowa Senate

​           Ivy Schuster of Searsboro has announced that she is running for the Democratic nomination in district 38 for the  Iowa State Senate, which comprises Benton, Iowa, and Poweshiek counties.
         A native of Poweshiek County, Schuster graduated from Montezuma High School. She moved to Los Angeles after graduating from Iowa State University and returned to Iowa three years later to be closer to family and start one of her own. She and her husband, Andy, have two children. 
         “The future of Iowa families, especially children, is important to me,” Schuster says. “I would like to add my voice—and amplify voices from my district—in the capitol and focus on improving the quality of life in our state, especially in our small towns and rural areas.” 
         In the Iowa Senate, Schuster will focus on a rural revitalization strategy that includes

• Increasing the state’s support for K-12 public schools, higher education, job training, and apprenticeships at our community colleges, while opposing legislation that would drain funding from public schools
• Expanding access to affordable health care, especially women’s health and Medicaid
• Supporting efforts to encourage voter participation and turnout
• Restoring bargaining rights for teachers, firefighters, and other public employees
• Ensuring that more Iowans—especially family farmers—are part of the conversation about how to address climate change and make our state a green leader.

     Schuster works as an IT training specialist at Grinnell College. She has served on the Searsboro Fire Department for more than six years. She currently serves Poweshiek County as a board member for S.H.E. Counts, which supports women and girls in a variety of areas, including financial management skills. She has previously served as a board member for the League of Women Voters of Grinnell, the Grinnell Area Arts Council and as an elected member on Grinnell College’s Staff Council. 
       “The people of Benton, Iowa, and Poweshiek counties deserve a senator who will listen respectfully to all sides of an issue and reach bipartisan solutions,” she says.
       Schuster will make a community announcement in each county, starting in her hometown of Montezuma. This launch event will be held at Montezuma Community School Elementary Library in Montezuma on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m.
       For future event details, search Ivy for Iowa on Facebook. Contributions can be made at ivyforiowa.com.