Carrie Duncan looking forward to run for state representative

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

NEW LONDON ? Carrie Duncan is a self-described ?people person.?

That is one of the reasons she is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for state representative from the 84th House District. ?People are so important to me, I love to help people and it takes a person to step forward to make a difference.

?I work well with people,? she said. ?I work well with my co-workers, too, because I want them to succeed and the plant (her place of employment) to succeed.?

Although never having served in elective office, Duncan said she had been contemplating seeking public office and her decision was made when the Mt. Pleasant Mental Health Institute (MHI) was closed. Duncan led a rally in support of the institution late last spring.

?When Governor (Terry) Branstad closed down the Mt. Pleasant Mental Health Institute, I was there, rallying friends and neighbors to stop the closure,? she reflected. ?I?m running because I want to continue to be a voice for those workers who lost their jobs and for the most vulnerable (people) in our state.?

She said she believes current State Rep. Dave Heaton, R-Mt. Pleasant, has served the community well, ?but it is time for a new voice. I feel he should have pushed (keeping the MHI open) further. The closing was disheartening to a lot of people.?

Duncan currently is a production operator at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, having served in the capacity for seven years. Prior to that, she was assistant head cook at the New London Community School District. ?I tell people I went from making mass quantities of mashed potatoes to warheads,? she chuckled.

Having lived in rural New London for 20 years, she also served as a certified lay leader in the Danville Methodist Church for three-and-a-half years and organized the Gingerbread Man 5K Run/Walk in New London from 2002-2006.

It?s partially through her work with the church that she has been an advocate for the homeless. ?I?ve done a lot of work for the homeless,? she said. ?There are so many people out in the streets, I don?t feel they are getting the help they need.?

Through her work and living in Iowa, she has grown fond of the state. She is originally from Illinois. ?As a production operator, I work daily with hardworking Iowans who have concerns about the direction of the state.

?I believe this is a great area of Iowa to live, work and raise a family,? she continued. ?However, from the privatization of Medicaid to the education cuts imposed last year, our state is heading in the wrong direction.?

In addition to being a people person, Duncan describes herself as an activist. ?I was that way as a little kid, I always wanted to help people, and as I have grown older, the desire to help people has grown stronger.?

She also stressed the importance of boosting Iowa?s economy and creating jobs in the district. ?As a state representative, I?ll work together with small business owners and job seekers to support businesses that bring good paying jobs to our community. As the daughter of a steelworker, I plan to focus on creating jobs through opportunities in manufacturing and renewable energy.?

In 2014, due to her service at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Duncan was chosen to receive the Medal of Honor Coin from the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology.

Duncan said she is looking forward to meeting the people of the district. ?I?m very excited about running. I am not a person who has one foot in, I put both feet in.?

Iowa House District 84 includes all of Henry County, and portions of Washington, Jefferson and Lee counties.