Molly Donahue
{{Short description|American educator and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Molly Donahue
| image = File:Molly Donahue.jpg
| birth_place = Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S.
| party = Democratic
| education = Iowa State University (BS)
University of Northern Iowa (MEd)
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1967}}
| state_senate = Iowa
| district = 37
| term_start = January 9, 2023
| predecessor = Zach Wahls
| state_house1 = Iowa
| district1 = 68th
| term_start1 = January 14, 2019
| term_end1 = January 8, 2023
| predecessor1 = Ken Rizer
| successor1 = Chad Ingels
}}
Molly Donahue is an American educator and politician serving as a member of the Iowa Senate from the 37th District. She previously served as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 68th district from 2019 to 2023, when she was elected to the Senate.{{cite web |title=Iowa State Legislature |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators |access-date=5 February 2023}}
Background
Donahue was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she attended Washington High School.{{Cite web|date=2019-01-02|title=Representative Molly Donahue|url=https://iowahouse.org/representative-molly-donahue/|access-date=2020-08-24|website=Iowa House Democrats|language=en-US}} She earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary education and teaching from Iowa State University, followed by a Master of Education in secondary behavior disabilities from the University of Northern Iowa. For 28 years, Donahue has worked as a teacher at Washington High School. She was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2018.[https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/168785/molly-donahue Molly Donahue's Biography]{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Molly Donahue for State Representative|url=https://donahueforiowa.actualdev.com/|access-date=2020-08-24|website=Molly Donahue - Representative for Iowa House District 68|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Molly Donahue|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Molly_Donahue|access-date=2020-08-24|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}
In 2025, Donohue introduced a bill to prohibit schools, community colleges and universities receiving state aid from using "discriminatory mascots" including "midgets", responding to a campaign organized against Estherville Lincoln Central High School by individuals with and parents of children with dwarfism.{{Cite web |last=Hajj |first=Nick El |date=2025-02-21 |title=Iowa bill could force schools to drop "discriminatory" mascots |url=https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/iowa-bill-could-force-schools-to-drop-discriminatory-mascots# |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=KGAN |language=en}}
References
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{{succession box| title=37th District |before=Hubert Houser | years = 2023 – present|after=Zach Wahls}}
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{{succession box| title=68th District |before=Ken Rizer | years = 2019 – 2023|after=Chad Ingels}}
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{{Current Iowa Senators}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donahue, Molly}}
Category:Democratic Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Iowa General Assembly
Category:American women educators
Category:People from Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Category:Iowa State University alumni
Category:University of Northern Iowa alumni
Category:Women state legislators in Iowa