Ashley Hinson is a member of the United States House of Representatives from Iowa. A Republican, she holds a seat from the state's 1st District. The district comprises a significant portion of the state. From a clockwise direction, it includes regions that border the neighboring states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri.
Hinson is running for re-election to Congress this year. Pundits believe that she does have an edge over her challenger, but the race is considered a competitive one. It has recently been announced that Hinson is having some health issues that have already altered the campaign.
Hospitalized due to a kidney infection
The Des Moines Register reports that Ashley Hinson has been hospitalized in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was initially admitted on October 16. Her chief of staff, Jimmy Peacock, released a statement the next day.
According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, Hinson has been diagnosed with a kidney infection. It was not specified the severity of her condition. But obviously it's serious enough to warrant her being admitted to a hospital. She apparently would remain hospitalized for at least one more night. Beyond that, it was unclear.
It also remains unclear exactly how much any of this might impact the campaign for the 1st District. At least one major change has already been made.
A debate between Hinson and her Democratic challenger was scheduled to be held on October 18. That debate has been cancelled and is not expected to be held at a later date. Attempts to re-schedule were reportedly made, but there were not dates that mutually worked for both sides.
Democratic State Senator Liz Mathis is the Democrat in the race seeking to unseat Hinson.
After news broke about Hinson's health issues, Mathis released a statement herself. She said she was sorry to learn of Hinson's hospitalization, adding that she wished for a speedy recovery.
Hinson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020, defeating Democratic incumbent Abby Finkenauer. She's a member of the U.S.
House Committees on Appropriations and on the Budget.
The race for Iowa's 1st District is not the only competitive House race recently hit with serious health concerns. Incumbent Republican Don Bacon of Nebraska, also running for re-election, underwent emergency surgery last month.
Is a former television news anchor
Ashley Hinson is a native of Des Moine, Iowa. She would graduate from Valley High School in nearby West Des Moines. Afterward, she graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in broadcast journalism.
Hinson later became a news anchor for KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids. Her now-opponent, Liz Mathis, has also been a news anchor for the same station in the past. In 2016, Hinson was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives. She was re-elected in 2018.
