Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa is leaning heavily on her alliance with President Donald Trump and championing a ban on congressional stock trading as she campaigns for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst. Hinson, a former journalist who represents Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, is the frontrunner in the state's GOP primary on June 2, buoyed by endorsements from Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Hinson launched her Senate bid after Ernst announced she would not seek reelection, and she has quickly consolidated party support. In an interview with the podcast Raising America, Hinson emphasized her commitment to earning votes despite her advantages. “I am very pleased to have those endorsements, but I still go out and earn every single vote,” she said. “That’s how I’ve always done it. I always run like I’m 10 points behind. And then I go out and I listen to Iowans.”
Hinson positions herself as a staunch Trump ally, advocating an “America First” agenda focused on border security, tax cuts, and conservative cultural issues. Trump has praised her work in Congress, and Thune’s backing signals GOP confidence in retaining the seat. Democrats, however, are investing heavily in Iowa, launching multimillion-dollar ad campaigns to make the race competitive heading into the midterms.
“And the way I see this, that we’re heading toward June 2nd, the Democrats have a primary as well. And no matter which crazy liberal comes out of their primary, I’m going to beat them. I’ve never lost an election,” Hinson said. “I also don’t think the midterms are going to be that complex of a choice for the American people. I think we can either go back to the nonsense that was destroying our country with the open borders and the incredible spending, or are we going to continue the common sense that’s working.”
Beyond her alliance with Trump, Hinson has elevated policy priorities aimed at expanding healthcare access and restoring public trust in government. She supports expanding affordable, over-the-counter birth control, an issue that has gained traction among some Republicans this election cycle. She has also become a vocal advocate for stricter ethics rules on Capitol Hill.
During a Senate hearing on financial transparency, lawmakers examined concerns about stock trading and prediction-market activity by members of Congress and their families. Hinson introduced House legislation modeled after a Senate proposal by Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) that would ban lawmakers from participating in prediction-market trading while in office. “I do think we should be banning congressional stock trading,” she said. “I have a piece of legislation that mirrors one that Bernie Moreno just did in the Senate to try to make sure we’re banning prediction market trading in the House because ultimately people are in tune with a lot of information that the general public doesn’t know. And so to be able to bet on that and to make money on that, I think it’s just inherently wrong.”
Supporters argue such reforms could help restore confidence in Congress and reduce concerns about lawmakers profiting from nonpublic information tied to legislation or market-moving events. “My philosophy has always been, let’s stand up for taxpayers, number one. Restore some trust in the institution, number two. We need to focus on policies that are going to help support rural America and to keep our country safe and secure,” Hinson said.
The push for ethics reform comes amid broader debates in Washington about congressional integrity. For context, recent controversies have highlighted the erosion of bipartisan norms, as detailed in a new book on congressional dysfunction. Meanwhile, Hinson’s Democratic rivals for the Senate seat, state Rep. John Turek and state Sen. Zach Wahls, were contacted for comment but did not respond.
As the primary approaches, Hinson’s campaign underscores the GOP’s strategy of tying candidates to Trump while also addressing issues like ethics and healthcare that resonate with swing voters. Her emphasis on a congressional trading ban could help her stand out in a crowded political landscape, even as she remains a favorite in a state that has trended increasingly red.
