Former Republican State Rep. Joe Mitchell defended cuts to unemployment benefits, saying the changes would encourage people to return to work.
The average job search now lasts five to six months nationwide, applications per opening have doubled since 2022, and many employers require four or more interview rounds.
Surveys show 65% of job seekers feel the hiring process is broken.
Mitchell’s Democratic opponent in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, state Rep. Lindsay James, argues Iowa workers facing layoffs need more support, not less.
“As more and more workers in Iowa are facing layoffs, we should not be cutting off the vital aid they need,” James said. “Workers who are already struggling with gas and food prices are now losing their paychecks. They want to work, but big corporations only see them as a number on a spreadsheet.”
