Meet the candidates running for Iowa House District 43 in Johnston, Urbandale, Saylorville

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Three candidates are vying to represent Iowa House District 43, which includes Johnston and parts of Urbandale and Saylorville.

Republican state Rep. Eddie Andrews, who is seeking a third term, faces Democrat Tiara Mays-Sims and independent Brett Nelson in the Nov. 5 general election.

To help voters, the Des Moines Register sent questions to all federal, Des Moines area legislative and countywide candidates running for political office this year. Their answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Learn More: Your Iowa Voter Guide 2024

Who is Eddie Andrews (incumbent)?

Age: 58

Party: Republican

Current town of residence: Johnston

Education: Electrical and computer engineering degree at University of Iowa; grad work and ministerial work at other institutions (Iowa State, UMass, Shiloh, etc.)

Occupation: Tech entrepreneur

Political experience and civic activities: State representative (second term); founder of Des Moines Spanish Conversation Meetup, a fun way to learn Spanish in a supporting social environment; founder of #mentoromics, a private group that engages students in coding and tech for free; former co-pastor of Iglesia Pentecostal del Nombre de Jesus; volunteer for many events around greater Des Moines.

Who is Brett Nelson?

Age: 62

Party: Independent

Where did you grow up: Clive

Current town of residence: Saylor Township

Education: Associate degree in forestry/business law, Iowa Lakes Community College; bachelor's in political science/economics, University of Iowa

Occupation: State of Iowa licensed insurance producer

Political experience and civic activities: Gov. Robert D. Ray (office aide); Iowa State Capitol mail room (volunteer); Des Moines Register and Tribune (carrier); Des Moines Better Business Bureau (general motors class action mediator/arbitrator); Des Moines Chamber of Commerce (executive call); Jack Kemp for President (campaign aid); Easter Seals Camp Sunnyside (volunteer); Habitat for Humanity (volunteer); Boy Scouts; precinct caucus leader; Elizabeth Dole for President (airport pick-up, primary state driver/handler and security during campaign in Iowa); NFL Flag head coach (K-8)

Who is Tiara Mays-Sims?

Age: 34

Party: Democrat

Where did you grow up: Detroit, Michigan

Current town of residence: Johnston

Education: Master's degree in business administration

Occupation: Provider relations and contract manager for a managed care organization

Political experience and civic activities: Tiara is a mother to twins, Autism parent and advocate from Johnston. Tiara has her master's degree in business administration and is a provider relations and contract manager for a managed care organization. In 2021, Tiara was the first Black woman ever elected to the Board of Education for Heartland Area Education Agency. Tiara continues to serve on the board of the Red Cross of Central Iowa and comes from a long line of union workers. She is a former school board candidate, Democratic primary candidate and vice chair of the Black Caucus.

What would be your top issue should you be elected?

Andrews: My top issue has been and continues to be increasing Iowans' access to mental health care. Ending human trafficking in Iowa is also a major priority. Though we have made impressive progress in mental health, adding telehealth, increasing PMIC rates for acute behavioral health, expanding the psychiatric residency program at the University of Iowa (and soon Broadlawns) to increase the number of doctors in the state, providing student loan repayment incentives for mental health professionals who choose to stay in Iowa for five years, combining substance abuse and mental health, expanding our mobile crisis units that integrate with 911 and 988 service, plus dozens more laws, more work is needed.

Nelson: You can't expect for things to be given to you. You have to work for what you want. It is always good to help other people and it's one of those things you should do. Democrats and Republicans focus on the government, let us focus on the individual and put our faith in the people. We must give individuals more control over their own destinies. As Iowans, we should talk, look like and act like the most dignified citizens in the country.

Mays-Sims: Public education.

What policies would you support to improve Iowa’s education system?

Andrews: My grandfather always impressed upon me that "education is the key" to advancing in life. I strongly support STEAM education, and back-to-basics education that will prepare all students for success in the 21st Century and restore Iowa back to the top in the nation. I supported the teacher pay increase to $47,500 for first year teachers and $60,000 minimums for experienced 12-year teachers and increased pay for para-teachers. The teacher empowerment law emerged from a meeting that I hosted listening to teacher concerns. I am strongly committed to doing what's best to educate every child.

Nelson: We are measuring the wrong things. What if we shifted our focus on more than scores and metrics and more on empowerment and individuality? The education landscape needs revitalized. We can't afford to lose our national educational status and credibility. We are the guardians for the future. Please elect someone who represents who you are and what you stand for. Stand firm on the principles that got us to where we are. Impose tougher tenure requirements and offer merit pay and bonuses to the deserving.

Mays-Sims: To improve Iowa’s education system, several policies could be implemented to ensure that students receive a high-quality, equitable education. Increasing funding for public schools is essential to reduce class sizes, update educational materials, fully fund our AEAs and invest in teacher salaries and professional development that would attract and retain high-quality educators, which we need now more than ever. Repealing the private school voucher bill would make for a more equitable education system in our state and allocating those tax dollars to the public schools who actually are in dire need of adequate funding.

What do you think Iowa’s tax policy should be? Do you believe the state’s priority should be on lowering rates or spending on services for Iowans?

Andrews: I think it’s false to assume it has to be one or the other. We can do both. With responsible budgeting and efficient government, we can fund Iowans' priorities and lower the tax burden on Iowans. We have both reduced tax burdens on Iowans while still having end-of-year budget surpluses. I'm also listening to my constituents and exploring what I can do to address property tax clarity and/or a property tax overhaul.

Nelson: Multiple approaches are in order. We can win a bunch of different ways. My pledge is to lower your property taxes. I propose and support lowering taxes for families and job creators. Concerns must be addressed on current tax breaks. Tax breaks must be conducive to productivity and hinge on participation and results. Our current return to Iowa's economic state surplus is not a license to spend recklessly. Iowa is not immune to any future global economic storms.

Mays-Sims: A flat tax rate is not right for all Iowans. Many Iowans still struggle to make ends meet today. Paychecks simply aren’t keeping up with the rising costs of health care, food, child care and utility bills. We need a fair tax system for everyday Iowans. We have seen record rates of inflation and cost of living increases over the past several decades, yet wages are not keeping the same pace. The impact of a flat tax rate on a family of four with an annual income of $50,000 versus a family of four that makes $250,000 annually is different. Those families are having very different conversations at the dinner table.

What policies would you support to improve school safety in Iowa?

Andrews: Keeping our kids safe in schools is going to take a multi-pronged approach. This session we passed bills to lower response times by utilizing firearm detection software and allowing staff to undergo strict training if they desire to carry their firearm on school property. Previously the law allowed teachers to carry weapons on school grounds if their district allowed it, but it didn’t lay out the strict permitting process and training to do so when seconds matter the most. Going forward I am pushing for increased investment in school safety infrastructure. I’ll continue to seek feedback from teachers and administrators to hear what they need to keep themselves and their students safe.

Nelson: Men, women and children of all ages and abilities must be actively involved in learning how to improve their awareness, health, fitness, confidence and their ability to protect themselves. Inherent in this teaching are the principles of respect, courtesy and self-discipline. We must prefer to remove ourselves from the violent situation. Encourage our children to fight the enemy by becoming better people. Combine this attitude with the inner strength one gains from training to achieve peace of mind and a more rounded quality of life.

Mays-Sims: Iowans want common-sense gun laws to protect our kids and our families, both in and out of school. No matter which part of Iowa we come from, the majority of us, including gun owners, support responsible gun safety laws. Gun safety laws protect all of us. They are proven to reduce crime and the risks law enforcement may face. Instead of arming teachers, we should pass common-sense gun laws to keep our kids safe such as upgrading school safety infrastructure, requiring background checks for gun purchases, investing more in mental health programs, and limiting access to guns for individuals at an elevated risk of harming themselves or others.

Iowa’s six-week “fetal heartbeat” abortion ban is now in effect. What next steps do you believe the Iowa Legislature should take when it comes to abortion?

Andrews: As a minister, I know every life is precious and support life in and out of the womb, and support women before, during and after pregnancy. While we wait and see how the Iowa Supreme Court rules on Iowa's heartbeat law, we need to continue to pass policies that support strong families in Iowa by supporting new and expecting mothers, such as continually expanding funding for the MOMS Act, and by ensuring all kids, especially those born into tough situations, have access to the support they need. We need to address the hopelessness that causes some young women to feel that they have no options when faced with an unexpected pregnancy by building a support system enveloped in love.

Nelson: Miracles come in the form of all shapes and sizes. Iowa offers both pro-choice and pro-life (who isn't?). If you are around six weeks pregnant or less, it is legal for you to get an abortion in Iowa. In Iowa, women do have reproductive rights. Timeliness is important. Iowa has a pregnancy leave law. Iowa Code 216.6 says Iowa employers with at least four employees must allow eligible employees to take time off for disability relating to pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, abortion, or related conditions. Take a moment to thank what has been presented here. Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.

Mays-Sims: Everyone deserves the right to make their own health care decisions, especially when it comes to reproductive care and abortion. These are life and death situations for the mother, and politicians have no place or right to be in the room with the doctor and patient to make someone else’s decisions about when to start a family or to make the most difficult decision of their lives. A majority of Iowans support reproductive freedom and believe that private health care decisions should only ever be between an individual, their family, and their doctor. I will fight for these rights to be reinstated when elected.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Meet the candidates in Iowa House District 43 in Johnston, Urbandale