Timeout exception running Linq Statement

This just started happening. This statement was working for months, now I just keep getting the timeout error below. when I execute the same statement directly on the SSMS it comes back in a second. the table has 44k records and is index on 5 columns state being one of them.

select distinct(state) from [ZipCodeDatabase]

I am running the following linq statement

states = ZipCodeRepository.Get(orderBy: z => z.OrderBy(o => o.State)).Select(z => z.State).Distinct().ToList();

When I run this linq statement I am continually getting a timeout error and have no idea y since it was working correctly before.

I included the Get() function which is a generic repo function, but maybe I am missing something there, that is causing the delay.

Get Function:

public virtual IEnumerable<TEntity> Get(
Expression<Func<TEntity, bool>> filter = null,
Func<IQueryable<TEntity>, IOrderedQueryable<TEntity>> orderBy = null,
string includeProperties = "") //params Expression<Func<TEntity, object>>[] includes
{
    IQueryable<TEntity> query = dbSet;
    if (filter != null)
    {
        query = query.Where(filter);
    }
    foreach (var includeProperty in includeProperties.Split
        (new char[] { ',' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries))
    {
        query = query.Include(includeProperty);
    }

    if (orderBy != null)
    {
        return orderBy(query).ToList();
    }
    else
    {
        return query.ToList();
    }
}

The timeout error:

System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException (0x80131904): Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding. ---> System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (0x80004005): The wait operation timed out at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action1 wrapCloseInAction) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action1 wrapCloseInAction) at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean callerHasConnectionLock, Boolean asyncClose) at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.TryRun(RunBehavior runBehavior, SqlCommand cmdHandler, SqlDataReader dataStream, BulkCopySimpleResultSet bulkCopyHandler, TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean& dataReady) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.TryCloseInternal(Boolean closeReader) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.Close() at System.Data.Common.DbDataReader.Dispose(Boolean disposing) at System.Data.Common.DbDataReader.Dispose() at System.Data.Common.Internal.Materialization.Shaper1.Finally() at System.Data.Common.Internal.Materialization.Shaper1.SimpleEnumerator.Dispose() at System.Collections.Generic.List1..ctor(IEnumerable1 collection) at System.Linq.Enumerable.ToList[TSource](IEnumerable1 source) at ClientsToProfitsKendoUI.DAL.GenericRepository1.Get(Expression1 filter, Func2 orderBy, String includeProperties)