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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst won’t seek reelection to third term, sources
tell CNN
By Jeff Zeleny, Eric Bradner, CNN
Updated:
1:05 PM EDT, Fri August 29, 2025
Source: CNN
Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst has decided not to seek reelection to a
third term, two people familiar with the decision say, and is poised to
make an announcement next week.
Ernst, 55, has been wrestling with the decision for months, but began
telling friends in recent days.
Her retirement creates an open Senate seat in Iowa. Rep. Ashley Hinson
is making plans to jump into the race, one GOP official says. National
Republicans, anticipating Ernst’s retirement, have long said they
believe Hinson would be a strong candidate.
A crowded field of Democrats is already running. The party’s primary
field includes state Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympian wheelchair
basketball player, state Sen. Zach Wahls, Knoxville Chamber of Commerce
executive director Nathan Sage and Des Moines School Board chair Jackie
Norris.
CBS first reported Ernst’s decision.
Ernst has come under fire since responding “we are all going to
die” to a constituent at a town meeting who raised concerns about
Medicaid cuts in Trump’s policy megabill.
She was first elected in 2014 on a pledge to cut government spending
with her signature slogan: “Make ‘em squeal.” As the Republican
Party has evolved under President Donald Trump, Ernst has often
struggled to strike a balance between GOP voters identifying with
Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement and those who
don’t.
A decade ago, Iowa was a critical swing state won by Barack Obama twice
and then by Donald Trump in 2016. The state swung partially back in
Democrats’ favor in 2018, with Democratic candidates winning three of
Iowa’s four US House seats. But Republicans have dominated since then
— winning all statewide races except auditor, a post held by current
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand, and ultimately claiming
all four House seats.
Trump won there by 8 percentage points in 2020 and 13 points in 2024.
However, Iowa Democrats point to the party’s stronger performance
compared to 2024 results in special elections this year — including a
victory in a conservative state Senate district this week — as
evidence that the tide could turn in 2026.
Democrats, needing a net gain of four seats to win control of the
Senate in next November’s midterm elections, are seeking to expand
the field of potentially competitive GOP-held seats.
The party’s top target is an open-seat race in North Carolina. But
Democrats also aim to be competitive in some combination of Maine,
where Democratic Gov. Janet Mills this week said she is “seriously
considering” running against GOP Sen. Susan Collins; Ohio, where
former Sen. Sherrod Brown is attempting to mount a political comeback
by running against incumbent Republican Sen. Jon Husted; and Texas,
where Sen. John Cornyn faces a stiff primary challenge from
conservative firebrand Attorney General Ken Paxton — who Democrats
view as a more favorable general election opponent.
This story has been updated with additional details.
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