Mary Ungs-Sogaard of Dyersville has announced her candidacy for Iowa Senate District 33.
The announcement comes after she was voted as the Democratic candidate by the organization via a nominating convention held on June 16th.
Ungs-Sogaard was born and raised in Luxemburg, Iowa. The oldest of six children, she grew up in the family business, a general store on the corner of the town of which her ancestors were among the earliest inhabitants. Her father and grandfather were both postmasters there, and both served their country in Korea and WWI, where her grandfather was wounded in battle.
Ungs-Sogaard graduated from the University of Iowa with degrees in Journalism, English and Education. She worked in Boston, MA in book publishing, where she met her husband who was visiting from Denmark. They spent time abroad then returned to Iowa to raise their family. She has worked with the local newspaper for over 30 years, devoting her career to management, journalism and small business development.
For the past five years, Ungs-Sogaard has worked in donor management with IowaWatch, a nonprofit newsroom of which she was a founding board member, and The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting, which is the overseeing nonprofit for IowaWatch and Investigate Midwest. The mission of this group is to keep large industrial agriculture accountable to consumers, farmers and the general public.
Ungs-Sogaard has served on the Iowa Newspaper Association board as an officer and President, as well as its Foundation board. She was named a Master Editor-Publisher in Iowa in 2012, the highest honor given by her profession in the state. She has been on the board’s government relations committee for over 20 years and served on the Iowa Public Information Board for four years, including two as its chairperson.
As a mom who needed child care and a strong community advocate, Ungs-Sogaard played a major role in starting an area nonprofit preschool and child care center, The Kid Project, and has remained committed to its success for over 35 years. Ungs-Sogaard is an active member of the Dyersville Area Community Foundation board of directors, and is involved with her church and various community organizations. She and her husband Jens have two daughters, a son-in-law and two grandchildren.
Having a deep commitment to small business, environmental issues, education, affordable housing, healthcare, and the protection of civil and human rights, Ungs-Sogaard is excited to be a passionate advocate for the people of Iowa. She intends to bring fresh energy to the Iowa State Legislature, focusing on policies that will positively impact the lives of the residents of District 33, and all Iowans.
Key platform points for Ungs-Sogaard’s campaign include:
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“Pocketbook” Issues: Support for working families and individuals who drive the economy is essential to Ungs-Sogaard. As individuals and families face serious challenges in their living circumstances, Ungs-Sogaard will advocate for policies that promote quality of life issues such as cost-of-living initiatives and worker’s rights. Iowa has had a strong history of common-sense care for all its citizens; Ungs-Sogaard wants to restore that value at the state level.
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Earth Care: Putting a band aid on environmental issues will not solve our problems, says Ungs-Sogaard. We have to find ways to actually fix what is so very negatively affecting our water, soil and air. It is important to our health and our future.
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Health Care: Access to secure and quality healthcare is a fundamental right, Ungs- Sogaard believes. She will work to improve and expand healthcare services in District 33 for all ages, focusing on affordability, accessibility and quality of care.
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Education: She will work to ensure adequate funding for schools, support for teachers and access to quality education for every child. She believes that public education is the basis of an educated citizenry, and that it deserves our appropriate support.
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Civil and Human Rights: As a staunch advocate for equality, Ungs-Sogaard will fight to protect and advance civil and human rights for all residents of Iowa. She is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse community that values and respects every individual.
Ungs-Sogaard stresses that her campaign will feature community engagement and collaboration. She asks the citizens of Iowa District 33 to come together with her to build a great future for Iowa.
To learn more about Mary Ungs-Sogaard and her campaign, you may reach out to her at maryusforiowa@gmail.com or check out her website at maryungs-sogaardforiowa.com
press release and photo courtesy of Ungs-Sogaard
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