Brenda Brink

Running for Iowa’s 49th House District

Brenda Brink has already gained experience within the walls of the Iowa Statehouse. She was a citizen lobbyist with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action during the 2017 legislative session. She was demoralized by what she saw in Des Moines, where lawmakers were unwilling to hear public input.

Brenda’s unifying goal is to revitalize rural Iowa. She advocates for a moratorium on heavily polluting Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and investments in education and healthcare. Brenda spent her career as a dietitian and educator in the field of nutrition. She lead her local Dollars for Scholars chapter and has participated in 4H since childhood. She has lived in District 49 for over 30 years and raised two children there. Brenda understands the needs of her neighbors.

I believe that our rural communities are worth fighting for because we don’t have an Iowa without them. This campaign is about advocating for the people I’ve known my whole life: everyday Iowans who work hard and want the same opportunities for their kids that they had.

We need to bring our prosperity back home. We need to bring our people back home. We need to bring our values back home. I’m Brenda Brink and I will work to bring it back home.

District 49’s Republican incumbent is Dave Deyoe. He sponsored the bill that stripped public employees of their collective bargaining rights in 2017. Several candidates on the Measured Politics slate cited this legislation as inspiration for their run. The bill makes public sector unions less effective in negotiations and more difficult to maintain. They can only negotiate wages, not benefits, and increases are capped. Union dues can no longer be deducted from paychecks. Unions must recertify every couple of years with a larger base of support than previously required. Deyoe dismissed accusations of union busting, saying that the Republican controlled legislature could have eliminated collective bargaining rights altogether.

Brenda is embracing a grassroots approach. At the end of August, she celebrated having knocked on 4000 doors. With the money she has already received from Measured Politics, Brenda has been able to hire a staffer. This allows her to devote more time to what matters — getting out in the community and hearing the concerns of her neighbors.

Donate to Measured Politics so that Iowa House District 49 can have a legislator who truly listens!