WASHINGTON, DC – As part of a regular series of events aimed at fostering relationships among conservative women, The Ripon Society hosted a GOP Women breakfast yesterday morning with Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) who participated in a moderated Question & Answer discussion with over forty women in attendance.
Past speakers in this series include Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA-05), and Vice President of U.S. and Canada Federal Government Affairs for Johnson & Johnson Jane Adams, among others. By featuring influential speakers and thought leaders, the series seeks to inspire women to become more involved in politics, policymaking, and community service, thereby enhancing the party’s outreach and representation.
Hinson was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020 and began her federal public service in 2021 under a Democrat-controlled House, Senate, and White House. Hinson and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks are the first Republican women to represent Iowa in the House.
To start the discussion, Hinson, a former Cedar Rapids news anchor, was asked about her strong leadership in the male-dominated fields she has always participated in.
“First and foremost, it’s about confidence and knowing that women deserve to have a seat at the table. We have such unique perspectives that we can bring to a lot of these conversations. We are having a hearing tomorrow that was my idea actually for the postal service and election integrity.
“I’m never afraid to speak up. I think if you don’t ask, the answer’s always no. That was the best advice someone ever gave me, and that’s so true here. You just have to have the confidence to know as a woman, that you are an equal at that table and your voice deserves to be heard.”
The Hawkeye State legislator – who was also the first woman ever elected to hold the 67th district in the Iowa State legislature – shared how she encourages confidence among her own staff.
“Four out of five of my senior staff are women. You think about the culture that we’ve created in our office, and when I talk about never being afraid to speak up, I think we have that kind of attitude in our office too. It’s a very collaborative environment. I think that empowering women means letting them do what they do really well.”
“It’s also important to make sure the office is successful, right? You empower people. You make sure they are good at their jobs; you give them opportunities and people will succeed. And so that’s worked really well for us.”
Later on, the Des Moines native was asked about what skills female senior Hill staffers would do well to acquire to further their careers.
“Good communication skills are vital,” Hinson replied. “Whether you’re a Member or you’re in top leadership in an office, I think that’s really important. I think about the number of times where you’re thrown in when we Members have to leave so the Chief has to speak, or something else like that, where you are finding yourself with a very short amount of time, having to communicate something in a succinct way.
“Put that into practice – and what’s a good way to do that? Have a thirty-second answer, a three-minute answer, and a longer answer. So, I think being prepared would be a helpful tool for a lot of women.”
To close, Hinson shared an example of putting this into practice in her own Iowa-based offices.
“When I’m not in the district, my district representatives are an extension of me, and that’s how I set my office up. I want them to have the confidence to go speak on my behalf, and answer those questions, and do the job when I’m not there.”
