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Joni Kay Ernst (née Culver; born July 1, 1970) is an American politician and retired military officer serving since 2015 as the junior
United States senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...
from
Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served in the Iowa State Senate from 2011 to 2014 and as auditor of Montgomery County from 2005 to 2011. As Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee from 2023 to 2025, after having been vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference since 2019, Ernst was the fourth-ranking Republican in the Senate. After graduating from
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
, Ernst joined the
United States Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a Military reserve force, reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed ...
. She served in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1993 to 2015, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. During the
Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
, she served as the commanding officer of the 1168th Transportation Company in Kuwait and later commanded the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Camp Dodge. After having been Montgomery County Auditor and serving in the Iowa State Senate, Ernst was elected to the U.S. Senate in
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
, becoming the first Republican to win the seat since
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
. She was reelected in
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
. During her time in the Senate, Ernst has called for reforms to Medicare,
Medicaid Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by U.S. state, state governments, which also h ...
, and
Social Security Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance ...
. During the Trump administration, she expressed concern about Trump's trade war with China, and as a war hawk, criticized some of his foreign policy. While supporting both Trump's nominees for EPA administrator, she expressed concern over their commitment to the Renewable Fuel Standard. She rejects the
scientific consensus on climate change There is a nearly unanimous scientific consensus that the Earth has been consistently warming since the start of the Industrial Revolution, that the rate of recent warming is largely unprecedented, and that this warming is mainly the result o ...
.


Early life and career

Ernst was born Joni Kay Culver in Montgomery County, Iowa, the daughter of Marilyn and Richard Culver. She was
valedictorian Valedictorian is an academic title for the class rank, highest-performing student of a graduation, graduating class of an academic institution in the United States. The valedictorian is generally determined by an academic institution's grade poin ...
of her class at Stanton Community School District High School. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
in 1992, and a
Master of Public Administration A Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a specialized professional graduate degree in public administration that prepares students for leadership roles, similar or equivalent to a Master of Business Administration but with an emphasis on the ...
degree from
Columbus State University Columbus State University is a public university in Columbus, Georgia, United States. Founded as Columbus College in 1958, the university was established and is administered by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. History ...
in 1995. In college, she took part in an agricultural exchange to the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
.


Military career

Ernst joined Iowa State University's
Reserve Officers' Training Corps The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC; or ) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. While ROTC graduate officers serve in all branches o ...
program when she was 20, and the
United States Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a Military reserve force, reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed ...
after graduating. She served as a
logistics officer A logistics officer is a member of an armed force or coast guard responsible for overseeing the support of an army, air force, marine corps, navy or coast guard fleet, both at home and abroad. Logistics officers can be stationary on military base ...
and attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard. In 2003–2004, she spent 12 months in
Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
as commander of the 1168th Transportation Company, during the
Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
. Near the end of her career, she served as the commanding officer of the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Camp Dodge, the Iowa Army National Guard's largest battalion. Upon her retirement from the military in 2015, Ernst had served 23 years in the Army Reserve and the
Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG) is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Army. It is simultaneously part of two differen ...
. Her awards included the Meritorious Service Medal,
Army Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issu ...
, Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. In an interview with ''
Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps as ''TIME'') is an American news magazine based in New York City. It was published weekly for nearly a century. Starting in March 2020, it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York Cit ...
'' in 2014, Ernst said that she was sexually harassed in the military, saying, "I had comments, passes, things like that" that she was able to stop, and said she would support removing the chain of command from the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases.


Iowa politics

Ernst was elected Montgomery County Auditor in 2004 and reelected in 2008. She was elected to the Iowa State Senate in a special election in 2011 and reelected in 2012. She represented District 12, in southwestern Iowa. Following her election to the U.S. Senate, Ernst resigned from the Iowa State Senate, effective November 28, 2014.


U.S. Senate


Elections


2014

In July 2013, Ernst announced that she would seek the Senate seat held by retiring Democratic Senator Tom Harkin. Iowa Lieutenant Governor
Kim Reynolds Kimberly Kay Reynolds (née Strawn, August 4, 1959) is an American politician from Iowa. A Republican, Reynolds has served since 2017 as the 43rd governor of Iowa. She is the first female governor in Iowa history. Reynolds was elected Clarke ...
endorsed her in October 2013. In March 2014, Ernst was endorsed by former Massachusetts Governor
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
and former Alaska Governor
Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, and author who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nomi ...
, to whom she has drawn comparisons. In May 2014, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a lobbying group, endorsed her. Little known at the start of her campaign, Ernst was boosted in the Republican primary by the Koch brothers with "hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of television ads ..and tens of thousands of dollars in direct campaign contributions". A Koch-backed group launched an "advertising blitz", including a $257,000 campaign against Ernst's biggest Republican rival, oil executive Mark Jacobs, who had supported a proposal to limit
carbon emissions Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect. This contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas, is the main cause of climate chan ...
that
Koch Industries Koch, Inc. () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation based in Wichita, Kansas, and is the second-largest privately held company in the United States, after Cargill. Its subsidiarie ...
opposed. Ernst privately credited the Kochs and their allies for having "really started my trajectory" after her primary victory. Ernst received widespread attention for a campaign advertisement she released in March 2014, in which she made a
tongue-in-cheek Tongue-in-cheek is an idiom that describes a humorous or sarcastic statement expressed in a serious manner. History The phrase originally expressed contempt, but by 1842 had acquired its modern meaning. Early users of the phrase include Sir Walte ...
comparison between her experience castrating pigs and her ability to "cut pork" in Congress. Many found the ad humorous, and it was spoofed by late-night comedians, including
Jimmy Fallon James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an Americans, American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer. Best known for his work in television, Fallon's breakthrough came during his tenure as a cast member on the ...
and
Stephen Colbert Stephen Tyrone Colbert ( ; born May 13, 1964) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program ''The Colbert Report'' from 2005 to ...
. Before the ad aired, Ernst had struggled to raise money, and two polls of the Republican primary taken in February 2014 had shown her in second place, several points behind Mark Jacobs. After it aired, a
Suffolk University Suffolk University is a private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. With 7,560 students on all campuses, it is the List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston, tenth-largest university ...
poll in early April showed her with a narrow lead and a Loras College poll showed her essentially tied with Jacobs. By May, she was being described in the media as the "strong front-runner". During the primary, Ernst promoted a
conspiracy theory A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * ...
that a
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
sustainable development Sustainable development is an approach to growth and Human development (economics), human development that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.United Nations General ...
plan,
Agenda 21 Agenda 21 is a non-binding action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development. It is a product of the Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment and Development) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. It is an action ag ...
, could lead to farmers being forced off their land and made to live in cities, but a few months later she said she did not consider the plan a "threat". In a May 2014 '' Des Moines Register'' interview, Ernst said she was "extremely offended" by comments Jacobs made characterizing her as AWOL due to missing over 100 votes in the legislative session. Previously, in '' The Gazette'', Ernst cited her National Guard duty to rebuff criticism about her missing votes, but ''The Gazette'' found that only 12 of the 117 missed votes came on days when she was on duty. The other 105 missed votes represented 57% of the Iowa Senate votes that session. Ernst's spokesman said she had a better than 90% voting record during her Senate career and that she had never claimed Guard service was the only reason she had missed votes. In July, Ernst delivered the Republican Party's weekly address, criticizing a health care scandal at the Department of Veterans Affairs and calling for a balanced budget and reform of Social Security and Medicare. Later that month, she suspended her campaign while participating in two weeks of National Guard duty. In endorsing her for the Republican primary nomination, the '' Des Moines Register'' wrote: "Ernst is a smart, well-prepared candidate who can wrestle with the details of public policy from a conservative perspective without seeming inflexible." On October 23, Ernst canceled a scheduled meeting with the ''Des Moines Registers editorial board, citing the paper's negative editorials about her. The editorial board ultimately endorsed Braley, citing Ernst's calls to abolish the EPA, the
Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
, and the federal minimum wage, as well as her support for partially privatizing
Social Security Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance ...
and overturning the
Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and informally as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presid ...
. In the 2014 election, Ernst received $17,552,085 in " dark money", which constituted 74% of non-party outside spending in her support; she had a $14 million outside spending advantage over her opponent. In an October 2014 debate, Ernst said she “believe in political free speech” and did not see a need to change campaign finance laws. Ernst won the election by 94,205 votes. She is the first woman elected to represent Iowa in either house of Congress.


2020

Ernst ran for reelection in 2020. She was unopposed in the Republican primary and faced Democratic nominee Theresa Greenfield, a businesswoman and former congressional candidate, in the general election. Ernst was seen as the strong favorite and eventually defeated her opponent, by 110,138 votes. In December 2019, the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
reported that Ernst's campaign had closely coordinated with a political nonprofit founded by a longtime consultant; such groups are tax-exempt and not required to disclose donors, but cannot make political campaigning their primary purpose and must separate their activities from candidates they support. An Ernst campaign adviser said that any implication they had acted outside the "spirit of the law" was "fake news". After the article's publication, the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the
Federal Election Commission The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent agency of the United States government that enforces U.S. campaign finance laws and oversees U.S. federal elections. Created in 1974 through amendments to the Federal Election Campaign ...
.


Tenure

Ernst was sworn into the United States Senate on January 3, 2015, and thus became Iowa's first new U.S. senator since Tom Harkin in 1985. She delivered the official Republican response to the
State of the Union The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a Joint session of the United States Congress, joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning ...
on January 20. In May 2016, Chris Cilizza put Ernst on his short list of possible vice presidential
running mate A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate running with a pre ...
s for
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
to become the 45th President of the United States. Other media outlets also mentioned her as a possible benefit to Trump's campaign. On June 16, Ernst said no one had "reached out" to her about a vice-presidential nomination. On July 4, she and Trump met privately. Trump selected
Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
Mike Pence Michael Richard Pence (born June 7, 1959) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 48th vice president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...
of
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
on July 15. In 2016, Ernst and other Republican senators introduced "Sarah's Law" in honor of Sarah Root, a 21-year-old student in Omaha who was killed in a street racing crash earlier that year. In 2017, Ernst asked Secretary of Defense nominee James Mattis whether he would pledge to cut wasteful spending and stop sexual assault in the military, to which Mattis agreed. In March, after photographs of nude female soldiers were posted on
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
, Ernst said that this "type of activity creates a culture that leads to sexual assault." At a press conference two weeks later, she asked Congress to pass a law requiring people to immediately report suspected sexual assault at government facilities. Ernst was elected vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference in November 2018. On the initiation of the
116th United States Congress The 116th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate, Senate and the United States House of Representati ...
in 2019, Ernst became the first female Republican to be appointed to the
Senate Judiciary Committee The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally known as the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a Standing committee (United States Congress), standing committee of 22 U.S. senators whose role is to oversee the United States Departm ...
, along with
Marsha Blackburn Mary Marsha Blackburn (née Wedgeworth; born June 6, 1952) is an American politician and businesswoman serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Tennessee. Blackburn was first ...
. In March 2019, after the Special Counsel Investigation concluded and Attorney General
William Barr William Pelham Barr (born May 23, 1950) is an American attorney who served as United States Attorney General, United States attorney general in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1991 to 1993 and again in the first adminis ...
released an abridged summary of Special Counsel
Robert Mueller Robert Swan Mueller III (; born August 7, 1944) is an American lawyer who served as the sixth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013. A graduate of Princeton University and New York University, Mueller served a ...
's report, Ernst called for a release of the report's full findings, saying, "as much of the report that can be made public should be". In August 2020, when Iowa had the most new
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
infections per capita of any state in the preceding seven days, Ernst repeated a debunked conspiracy theory that the case numbers were greatly inflated and that health care providers might be falsifying them. She later walked back her statements. After Justice
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg ( ; Bader; March 15, 1933 – September 18, 2020) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until Death and state funeral of Ruth Bader ...
's death in September 2020, Ernst said she supported Trump nominating a new justice before the November presidential election. Eight months before the 2016 presidential election, Ernst opposed Senate consideration of
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, saying "the American people deserve to have a say" on a decision that would "impact the course of our country for years to come". In 2018, Ernst reiterated that Supreme Court nominees should not be heard during presidential election years, telling the '' Des Moines Register'', "It's precedent set. ... So come 2020, if there's an opening, I'm sure you'll remind me of that." Ernst was participating in the certification of the
2021 United States Electoral College vote count The count of the United States Electoral College, Electoral College ballots during a Joint session of the United States Congress, joint session of the 117th United States Congress, pursuant to the Electoral Count Act, on January 6–7, 2021, ...
when Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. She called the storming "a protest turned anarchy" and, citing that she served in the military to defend the right to peacefully protest, "a complete betrayal of those sacred ideals." When Congress returned to the certification process, Ernst voted to support certification. She opposed impeaching Trump for the attack on the Capitol, choosing to support a peaceful transfer of power and "healing our nation." In response, '' The Gazette'' editorial board wrote that Ernst and Grassley "must reckon with why they did the wrong thing for so long" regarding their support of Trump during his presidency. in a September 2021
Fox News The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...
interview, Ernst accused President
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
of overstepping presidential powers and "leading by coercion" with the newly announced "Path Out of the Pandemic" initiative, aimed at mitigating the rising threat of the COVID-19 Delta variant. "Forcing these federal mandates was one way to divert us", she said. "This is a diversion away from 9/11, away from the 20th anniversary and away from the debacle that was his Afghanistan withdrawal". The previous week, Biden had signed an
executive order In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of the ...
declassifying 9/11 documents that the victims' families had requested for many years; his agenda on September 11, 2021, included visits to three 9/11 crash sites in New York,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
, and
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
. In March 2024, Ernst announced that she would run for Senate Republican Conference chair in 2025, a position that Senator Tom Cotton is also seeking.


Committee assignments

* Committee on Armed Services ** Subcommittee on Airland ** Subcommittee on Cybersecurity ** Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities (Ranking Member) * Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry ** Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade ** Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research ** Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy * Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Ranking Member)


Caucus memberships

* Republican Main Street Partnership * Senate Taiwan Caucus


Political positions

In 2019, ''
Politico ''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American political digital newspaper company founded by American banker and media executive Robert Allbritton in 2007. It covers politics and policy in the Unit ...
'' called Ernst "a reliable vote for most of Trump's agenda", and as of October 2020, she had voted in line with
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
's positions 91.1% of the time. The
American Conservative Union The American Conservative Union (ACU) is an American political organization that advocates for Conservatism in the United States, conservative policies, ranks politicians based on their level of conservatism, and organizes the Conservative Poli ...
's Center for Legislative Accountability gives Ernst a lifetime conservative score of 81.69. The politically liberal Americans for Democratic Action gave Ernst a score of zero for 2019.


Abortion

Ernst opposes legalized
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
. In 2013, she voted for a fetal personhood amendment in the Iowa Senate and has said that she would support a federal personhood bill. Critics, such as the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a professional association of physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology in the United States. Several Latin American countries are also represented within Districts of ...
, have expressed concern that such an amendment could restrict abortion even in cases of rape or incest, as well as certain forms of birth control, although Ernst has said she supports access to birth control. In January 2020, she petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider ''
Roe v. Wade ''Roe v. Wade'', 410 U.S. 113 (1973),. was a List of landmark court decisions in the United States, landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protected the right to have an ...
'', the landmark ruling that abortion bans are unconstitutional. In 2017, Ernst introduced legislation allowing states to block
Planned Parenthood The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is an American nonprofit organization
from receiving Title X grants or reimbursements for treating
Medicaid Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by U.S. state, state governments, which also h ...
patients, although Planned Parenthood clinics provide multiple
family planning Family planning is the consideration of the number of children a person wishes to have, including the choice to have no children, and the age at which they wish to have them. Things that may play a role on family planning decisions include marit ...
services and the funding does not go to abortions except in rare circumstances. Ernst supported the 2022 Supreme Court decision ''
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ''Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization'', 597 U.S. 215 (2022), is a List of landmark court decisions in the United States, landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Supreme Court in which the court held ...
'' that overturned ''Roe v. Wade'', calling it a science-based decision.


Agriculture

In 2025, Ernst introduced the Food Security and Farm Protection Act, an updated version of the King Amendment and Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act that seeks to prohibit state and local governments from imposing production standards on agricultural goods sold in interstate commerce. The bill was introduced in response to California's Proposition 12, which established minimum space requirements for livestock producers selling pork, veal, and egg products in California. Ernst argued that such regulations impose unfair burdens on out-of-state producers. Opponents warned the legislation would undermine efforts to regulate food safety, animal welfare, and public health. The proposal is expected to be a significant issue in the 2025
farm bill In the United States, the farm bill is a comprehensive omnibus bill that is the primary agricultural and food policy instrument of the federal government. Congress typically passes a new farm bill every five to six years.Johnson, R. and Monke, ...
negotiations.


Barack Obama

In 2014, when asked about President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
's recess appointments, Ernst called Obama a "dictator" who should be "removed from office" or face "impeachment". She said, "He is running amok. He is not following our Constitution." Later in 2014, Ernst criticized Obama's handling of the Ebola outbreak.


Donald Trump

In February 2020, Ernst voted to acquit Trump on both articles of impeachment (abuse of power and obstruction of Congress). She argued that Trump had learned his lesson, and that he would not ask a foreign leader to investigate his rivals again without going through the proper channels. At the same time, she suggested that
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
could be impeached if he becomes president over his actions in Ukraine. In May 2020, Ernst praised Trump's response to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, saying, "he was right on it from day one". On May 28, 2021, Ernst voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the
2021 United States Capitol attack On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of Donald Trump, President Donald Trump in an attempted self-coup,Multiple sources: * * * * * * * * * * * * * two months afte ...
. After Trump took office as president for the second time in January 2025, the
Department of Government Efficiency The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is an initiative by the second Trump administration within the federal government of the United States. Its stated objective is to modernize information technology, maximize productivity, and cut ...
(DOGE) sought access to the sensitive systems of several U.S. government bodies, prompting multiple legal challenges. In February 2025, Ernst expressed her support for DOGE's actions, saying, "There’s a lot of disruption, but I would argue that that disruption was needed to be able to go in and scrutinize the record, scrutinize expenditures to fully understand what’s going on."


Economic policy

Ernst opposes a federal minimum wage and has said that states should have sole authority to set their minimum wages. She voted against a minimum wage increase in the state Senate. In response to a
Congressional Budget Office The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the United States Congress, legislative branch of the United States government that provides budget and economic information to Congress. I ...
report projecting that increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour would lift 900,000 people out of poverty but cost 500,000 people their jobs, Ernst said, "government-mandated wage increases are not the solution." Ernst has proposed eliminating the
Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting Taxation in the United States, U.S. federal taxes and administerin ...
. In the state Senate, she worked on legislation that reduced
property tax A property tax (whose rate is expressed as a percentage or per mille, also called ''millage'') is an ad valorem tax on the value of a property.In the OECD classification scheme, tax on property includes "taxes on immovable property or Wealth t ...
es. In 2014, she said she supports a "fairer, flatter, and simpler" federal tax code, a reduction in discretionary spending and spending on
social programs Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance pr ...
, and a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget. In 2017, she voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Ernst has expressed support for the partial privatization of Social Security accounts for young workers while making clear that "we have to keep our promises to seniors". In May 2018, Ernst was one of nine Republican senators to introduce a rescission package meant to fulfill Trump's wish to curb previously approved spending by $15.4 billion as part of an attempt to roll out the legislation to ensure it reached the Senate floor within a 45-day window.


Education

Ernst supports eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, saying she "believe our children are better educated when it's coming from the state." While states handle almost all education policy decisions, the Department of Education conducts nationwide research, monitors for
discrimination Discrimination is the process of making unfair or prejudicial distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong, such as race, gender, age, class, religion, or sex ...
, and distributes
student financial aid Student financial aid (or student financial support, or student aid) is financial support given to individuals who are furthering their education. Student financial aid can come in a number of forms, including scholarships, Grant (money), grants, ...
through loans and grants. In 2014, Ernst claimed, inaccurately, that 94% of employees at the Department of Education had been deemed “nonessential” and argued funding would be better spent at the state and local level. ''
PolitiFact PolitiFact.com is an American nonprofit project operated by the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, with offices there and in Washington, D.C. It began in 2007 as a project of the ''Tampa Bay Times'' (then the ''St. Petersburg Times ...
'' calculated that hypothetically reassigning all employees to non-federal positions would increase state and local education staffing by “4/100ths of 1 percent”. In February 2017, Ernst voted to confirm
Betsy DeVos Elisabeth Dee DeVos ( ; ' Prince; born January 8, 1958) is an American politician, philanthropist, and former government official who served as the 11th United States Secretary of Education, United States secretary of education from 2017 to 2021 ...
as Education Secretary, saying they shared a belief that those "closest" to students know what is best for them.


Environment

Ernst rejects the
scientific consensus Scientific consensus is the generally held judgment, position, and opinion of the majority or the supermajority of scientists in a particular field of study at any particular time. Consensus is achieved through scholarly communication at confer ...
on
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
and has said that any governmental regulation to address it should be "very small." In a 2014 debate, she said, " I don't know the science behind climate change. I can't say one way or another what is the direct impact from whether it's manmade or not." In 2018, after the release of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, detailing the impact of climate change, Ernst said that "our climate always changes and we see those ebb and flows through time". In her 2014 Senate campaign, Ernst won support from the Koch brothers and affiliated groups, who helped propel her ahead of a primary opponent who backed a proposal to limit
carbon emissions Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect. This contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas, is the main cause of climate chan ...
. In 2014, she said she is "adamantly opposed" to
cap-and-trade Carbon emission trading (also called carbon market, emission trading scheme (ETS) or cap and trade) is a type of emissions trading scheme designed for carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). A form of carbon pricing, its purpose ...
, a market-based approach to reducing carbon emissions. She supported Trump's 2017 decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accords. Ernst has called for eliminating the Environmental Protection Agency. In 2014, she criticized the impact of the
Clean Water Act The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters; recognizing the primary respo ...
on farms and businesses and said she would have voted against the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill. After voting to confirm Trump nominee
Scott Pruitt Edward Scott Pruitt (born May 9, 1968) is an American attorney, lobbyist and Republican Party (United States), Republican politician from the state of Oklahoma. He served as the 14th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) f ...
as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Ernst said in 2018 that he had lied to her about upholding the Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandates a minimum proportion of
ethanol Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is an Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol, with its formula also written as , or EtOH, where Et is the ps ...
that must be mixed with fuel, while calling Pruitt "about as swampy as you get". In February 2019, Ernst voted to confirm Trump's new nominee for EPA administrator, Andrew Wheeler. In June 2019, she said she had asked Trump and Wheeler to limit the issuing of RFS waivers, saying they were being handed out "like candy" without congressional oversight. As of September 2020, Ernst has a 1% lifetime score from the environmentalist
League of Conservation Voters The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "builds political power for people and the planet." Through its affiliated super PAC, it is a major supporter of the Democratic Party. The org ...
.


Foreign policy


Afghanistan

In October 2015, Ernst said that Obama lacked "a clear coherent strategy in Afghanistan" amid the rise of
Taliban , leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders , leader1_name = {{indented plainlist, * Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013) * Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016) * Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...
forces and
ISIS Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...
. In August 2021, she called the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan "rapid and haphazard" and "shameful", chiding the
Biden administration Joe Biden's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 46th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Joe Biden, his inauguration on January 20, 2021, and ended on January 20, 2025. Biden, a member of the Democr ...
for removing troops before guaranteeing the safety of the U.S. embassy.


Iran

Ernst opposed the Iran deal negotiated by the Obama administration. In January 2020, she expressed support for the US military's assassination of Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani by
drone strike Drone warfare is a form of warfare using Military drone, military drones or Military robot, military robots. The robots may be Telerobotics, remote controlled or have varying levels of Autonomous robot, autonomy during their mission. Types of ro ...
at Baghdad International Airport.


Iraq

Of the
Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
and
weapons of mass destruction A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a Biological agent, biological, chemical weapon, chemical, Radiological weapon, radiological, nuclear weapon, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill or significantly harm many people or cause great dam ...
, she said, "We don't know that there were weapons on the ground when we went in. However, I do have reason to believe there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. That was the intelligence that was operated on. I have reason to believe there was weapons of mass destruction. My husband served in Saudi Arabia as an Army Central Command sergeant major for a year and that's a hot-button topic in that area." After criticism from Iowa Democrats and some commentators, Ernst then issued a statement that she had not meant to suggest that Iraq had WMD at the time of invasion, but rather that Iraq had used WMDs in the past, and that her point was that "we don't know exactly what happened to those weapons." When asked whether she supports the limited airstrikes conducted in Iraq in August 2014, Ernst said, "What I can say is what I would have supported is leaving additional troops in Iraq longer and perhaps we wouldn't have this situation today."


Israel

In October 2023, days after the beginning of the
Gaza war The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...
, Ernst led a congressional delegation to meetings with
Prime Minister of Israel The prime minister of Israel (, Hebrew abbreviations, Hebrew abbreviation: ; , ''Ra'īs al-Ḥukūma'') is the head of government and chief executive of the Israel, State of Israel. Israel is a parliamentary republic with a President of Isra ...
Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has served as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime min ...
, other Israeli leaders, and American civilians in Israel. She said the meetings were meant to "reassure the leadership in Israel as well as a number of American families that were there that we stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel". In July 2024, before Netanyahu gave a speech to Congress, Ernst led a Republican press conference "demanding action from this waffling White House" and called for U.S. sanctions and weapons to help Israel defeat Hamas. She also criticized Vice President
Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...
for not attending the speech, calling her absence "a disgrace" and asking what duties Harris would neglect if elected president.


Korean conflict

In June 2018, Ernst questioned Trump's decision to suspend joint military exercises with
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
. In July, she advocated that the United States continue the exercises in case talks between the US and
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
did not continue.


Russia

In 2017, Ernst called Russia's behavior, including its annexation of Crimea and interference in U.S. elections, "totally unacceptable" and said Trump should "show strength against
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
". The next year, she urged caution if the U.S. worked with Russia to "put a lid on Iran", saying that Russia would never be "a true friend or ally" to the U.S. She cited North Korea as another case where caution should be maintained when cooperating to make the world "a safer place". After the 2018 Russia-United States summit later that month, Ernst expressed hope that Trump had "delivered a strong message" that Russia would be punished for its annexation of Ukraine, support of
Bashar al-Assad Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator Sources characterising Assad as a dictator: who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
, and "aggressive actions in U.S. domestic policy", and that Trump had discussed Russia's actions in the Balkans. In February 2024, Ernst and Grassley broke with most Senate Republicans to vote for a $95 billion foreign aid bill that included $60 billion to support Ukraine. Ernst said that Congress was "equipping America to push back against our adversaries' aggression" and that the bill was "critical to reversing President Biden's weakness on the world stage that has abandoned our partners, emboldened authoritarians, and put American lives at risk."


Syrian civil war

In 2015, Ernst said the U.S. should halt the admission of Syrian refugees, saying the United States needs a "thorough vetting process". In 2018, after missile strikes against Syria, Ernst said that she would be "uncomfortable" if Trump wanted to commit more American troops there, saying it was secondary to fighting
ISIS Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...
. After Trump announced the withdrawal of troops from Syria, Ernst was one of six senators to sign a letter expressing concern, calling the move a "premature and costly mistake" that would "embolden ISIS, Bashar al Assad, Iran, and Russia." In 2019, Ernst was one of six senators to sign a bipartisan letter to Trump calling on him to "urge Turkey to end their offensive and find a way to a peaceful resolution while supporting our Kurdish partners to ensure regional stability" and arguing that leaving Syria without installing protections for American allies endangered both them and the US.


Yemen

In March 2018, Ernst voted to table a resolution spearheaded by
Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician and activist who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from the state of Vermont. He is the longest-serving independ ...
, Chris Murphy, and
Mike Lee Michael Shumway Lee (born June 4, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Utah, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, Lee became Utah's senior senator in 2019, whe ...
that would have required Trump to withdraw American troops either in or influencing
Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...
within the next 30 days unless they were combating
Al-Qaeda , image = Flag of Jihad.svg , caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions , founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden , leaders = {{Plainlist, * Osama bin Lad ...
. In November 2018, following the murder of Saudi journalist
Jamal Khashoggi Jamal Ahmad Hamza Khashoggi (13 October 1958 – 2 October 2018) was a Saudi journalist, Saudi dissidents, dissident, author, columnist for ''Middle East Eye'' and ''The Washington Post'', and a general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab New ...
, Ernst said that Saudi Arabia was a "great strategic partner" but that Congress should consider a legislative response due to the United States' commitment to human rights and the rule of law. She added that Trump should become involved "if there are indicators coming from those intelligence agencies". In December, Ernst warned that a resolution withdrawing U.S. support for the Saudi Arabia-led intervention in Yemen could complicate peace talks in Yemen and that, although Saudi Arabia should be punished for Khashoggi's death, "those consequences are I see as right now are separate from the discussion of the Saudis and their actions in Yemen engaging the Houthis".


Gun policy

Ernst supports open carry legislation, which allows guns to be carried openly in public. In 2019, she was one of 31 Republican cosponsors of a bill to grant those with concealed carry privileges in their home state the right to carry concealed weapons in other states with concealed carry laws. In a 2014 debate, speaking about the Santa Barbara shooting, Ernst said, "Just because of a horrible, horrible tragedy, I don't believe we should be infringing upon people's Second Amendment rights." After the 2018
Stoneman Douglas High School shooting On February 14, 2018, a mass shooting occurred when 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, part of the Miami metropolitan area, Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people and injuring 18 ot ...
, she said that mental illness was the "root cause" of many mass shootings. She later cosponsored a bill to require federal authorities to inform states within a day if a person failing a
background check A background check is a process used by an organisation or person to verify that an individual is who they claim to be, and check their past record to confirm education, employment history, and other activities, and for a criminal record. The fr ...
attempted to buy a firearm. In 2017, amid bipartisan momentum for bump stock restrictions, Ernst was one of 10 Republican senators to sign a letter requesting that the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevention ...
review a decision that bump stocks fall outside the purview of existing gun regulations. According to data from
OpenSecrets OpenSecrets is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying, including a revolving door database which documents the individuals who have worked in both the public sector an ...
, the NRA spent $3,124,273 in support of Ernst between 2014 and 2018, mostly attacking candidates running against her.


Health care

Ernst opposes the
Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and informally as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presid ...
. The
Campaign for Liberty The Campaign for Liberty (C4L) is a political organization founded by twelve-term United States of America, United States United States Congressman, Congressman Ron Paul. Campaign for Liberty focuses on educating elected officials and the genera ...
reported that in 2012 Ernst had answered "Yes" to a survey question asking whether she would support legislation that would " nullify ObamaCare and authorize state and local law enforcement to arrest federal officials attempting to implement t" She voted for all three versions of a bill to repeal the ACA in 2017. In 2018, Ernst was one of 10 Republican senators to cosponsor a bill intended to guarantee coverage for people with preexisting conditions, though it would have allowed insurers to exclude coverage for the conditions themselves. Ernst has expressed support for reforming Medicare and
Medicaid Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by U.S. state, state governments, which also h ...
and endorsed a partial privatization of both programs in a 2011 Iowa Senate vote. A CBO report found that the plan would increase medical costs for Medicare beneficiaries 61% by 2022, compared with 27% under the existing structure. In 2013, she said there was a "generation of people that rely on the government to provide absolutely everything for them" and that removing them from government programs such as the Affordable Care Act "is going to be very painful". Ernst has questioned the legitimacy of how hospitals are reporting
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
deaths. In August 2022, Ernst voted against capping the price of
insulin Insulin (, from Latin ''insula'', 'island') is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets encoded in humans by the insulin (''INS)'' gene. It is the main Anabolism, anabolic hormone of the body. It regulates the metabol ...
at $35. She has said that she has two diabetic family members. On May 30, 2025, in response to a constituent at a town hall meeting who told her people would die as a result of Medicaid and SNAP cuts directed toward undocumented immigrants in the 2025 budget reconciliation bill, Ernst said: "Well, we are all going to die. For heaven's sakes, folks". In response to subsequent backlash, the next day she recorded and posted on
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
a sarcastic apology video wherein she walked around a graveyard and insinuated her constituents were uneducated about
death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...
, saying: "I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that yes, we are all going to perish from this Earth. So I apologize. And I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well". She added, "for those that would like to see eternal and everlasting life, I encourage you to embrace my lord and savior,
Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
". Senate Minority Leader
Chuck Schumer Charles Ellis Schumer ( ; born November 23, 1950) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from New York (state), New York, a seat he has held since 1999. ...
mockingly called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act the "We're All Going to Die Act", alluding to these comments.


Immigration

In June 2018, Ernst and Democratic senators
Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Elizabeth Gillibrand (; ; born December 9, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from New York (state), New York since 2009 ...
and
Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph Leahy ( ; born March 31, 1940) is an American politician and attorney who represented Vermont in the United States Senate from 1975 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he also was the pr ...
wrote Defense Secretary James Mattis a letter saying they were "deeply troubled" by the decision to send 21
Judge Advocate General's Corps The Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG or JAG Corps) is the military justice branch or specialty of the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called judge advocates ...
to prosecute immigration cases on the southern border, calling it an "inappropriate misapplication of military personnel" and urging Mattis to retain the military lawyers within the military justice system. In July 2018, Ernst was one of 31 Republican senators to submit a resolution endorsing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), saying its
abolition Abolition refers to the act of putting an end to something by law, and may refer to: *Abolitionism, abolition of slavery *Capital punishment#Abolition of capital punishment, Abolition of the death penalty, also called capital punishment *Abolitio ...
would allow "dangerous criminal aliens" and members of the MS-13 gang to remain in the U.S. Amid the 2018–19 United States federal government shutdown that resulted after Trump demanded $5.7 billion for a border wall, Ernst said she would "tend to agree that not all areas of our border need a physical barrier" if they are monitored by technology or Border Patrol agents and it was possible to respond in a "timely manner".


Internet

Ernst opposes
net neutrality Net neutrality, sometimes referred to as network neutrality, is the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) must treat all Internet communications equally, offering User (computing), users and online content providers consistent tra ...
, which prevents
internet service providers An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides a myriad of services related to accessing, using, managing, or participating in the Internet. ISPs can be organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non ...
from blocking or slowing down certain content, and voted against reinstating it after an FCC ruling in 2018. In May 2020, Ernst voted for an amendment co-sponsored by Senators
Steve Daines Steven David Daines ( ; born August 20, 1962) is an American politician and former corporate executive serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Montana, a seat he has held since ...
and
Ron Wyden Ronald Lee Wyden ( ; born May 3, 1949) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Oregon, a seat he has held since 1996 United States Senate special el ...
that would have required federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies to obtain federal court warrants when collecting
web search engine A search engine is a software system that provides hyperlinks to web pages, and other relevant information on World Wide Web, the Web in response to a user's web query, query. The user enters a query in a web browser or a mobile app, and the sea ...
data from American citizens, nationals, or residents under the
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA, , ) is a Law of the United States, United States federal law that establishes procedures for the surveillance and collection of foreign intelligence on domestic soil.same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
is a state's rights issue, but that she would support a federal ban were one proposed. In the Iowa Senate, she co-sponsored a bill to amend the state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. In 2017, she announced her opposition to Trump's ban on
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
individuals serving in the armed forces. Ernst was one of 12 Republican senators to vote for the
Respect for Marriage Act The Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA; ) is a landmark United States federal law passed by the 117th United States Congress in 2022 and signed into law by President Joe Biden. It repeals the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), requires the U.S. federal ...
, which passed the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
on November 29, 2022.


Nullification

As a state senator, Ernst co-sponsored a resolution urging the " nullification" of EPA rules on emissions standards and another expressing the Iowa General Assembly's "refusal to recognize" federal laws "which conflict with the Second Amendment". In 2012, she answered "Yes" to a survey asking whether she would support legislation "nullify ng ObamaCare and authoriz ngstate and local law enforcement to arrest federal officials attempting to implement t" In 2013, Ernst said Congress should not pass laws "that the states would consider nullifying", referring to what she called "200-plus years of federal legislators going against the Tenth Amendment's states' rights." Courts have consistently ruled that nullification is unconstitutional. During her 2014 Senate campaign, Ernst's spokespeople argued that she did not support nullification, and that "her comments on it were about encouraging Iowans to send her to Washington to pass good laws."


Relationship with Steve King

Ernst's relationship with
Steve King Steven Arnold King (born May 28, 1949) is an American former politician and businessman who served as a U.S. representative from Iowa from 2003 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Iowa's 5th congressional district un ...
, a Republican House Representative known for his racist rhetoric and support for
far-right Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on the far end of the ...
politicians, has been criticized. In 2016, when King faced a primary challenge for his House seat, Ernst endorsed him, saying he "stands strong for life and liberty." In 2017, when King attracted criticism for saying "we can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies" and for supporting European far-right politicians, Ernst said she did not condone King's behavior but would not ask for his resignation. In 2017, ''
The Des Moines Register ''The Des Moines Register'' is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. History Early period The first newspaper in Des Moines was the ''Iowa Star''. In July 1849, Barlow Granger began the paper in an abandoned log cab ...
'' wrote a scathing editorial against King, which criticized Ernst for endorsing him in the past and not condemning him. In 2018, Ernst appeared with King at a rally in his district after King had endorsed a Canadian politician with
neo-Nazi Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazism, Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and Supremacism#Racial, racial supremacy (ofte ...
ties. In 2019, amid extensive criticism of King by Republican politicians after King made controversial remarks about
white supremacy White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White supremacy has roots in the now-discredited doctrine ...
, Ernst rebuked him. ''The New York Times'' wrote that Ernst's belated distancing from King might harm her 2020 reelection effort, as she previously "had spent years embracing Mr. King." Art Cullen, editor of '' The Storm Lake Times'', criticized the timing of Ernst's response, which came after it started to look possible that King would lose his seat, writing "the hypocrisy is epic and comic." ''
The Des Moines Register ''The Des Moines Register'' is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. History Early period The first newspaper in Des Moines was the ''Iowa Star''. In July 1849, Barlow Granger began the paper in an abandoned log cab ...
'''s editorial board questioned why it took national condemnation for Ernst to rebuke King. Ernst did not make an endorsement in King's 2020 Republican primary race, which he lost.


Trade

In 2018, as Trump imposed
tariff A tariff or import tax is a duty (tax), duty imposed by a national Government, government, customs territory, or supranational union on imports of goods and is paid by the importer. Exceptionally, an export tax may be levied on exports of goods ...
s as part of his trade policy and other countries responded in kind, Ernst said she was willing to give him some leeway but worried about the impact on farmers. In May 2019, amid a trade war between the United States and China, Ernst said she did not like tariffs but that the "president's way of negotiating... brings people to the table." She said that Iowa farmers are "disappointed" but that they recognize "that China is the one that is forcing this." In January 2018, Ernst was one of 36 Republican senators to sign a letter to Trump requesting he preserve and modernize the
North American Free Trade Agreement The North American Free Trade Agreement (, TLCAN; , ALÉNA), referred to colloquially in the Anglosphere as NAFTA, ( ) was an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States that created a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The ...
. In August 2018, she warned that failure to finish trade deals would "reflect negatively upon our Republican candidates" and advocated completing NAFTA and continuing to work with the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
. In 2019, Ernst accused House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia Pelosi ( ; ; born March 26, 1940) is an American politician who was the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011 an ...
of "slow-walking" the passage of the USMCA trade agreement but believed there was enough support to ratify it.


Personal life

In 1992, Ernst (then Joni Culver) married Gail Ernst. The Ernsts have one child. On August 27, 2018, Ernst announced that she and her husband were in the process of obtaining a divorce. In a sworn affidavit, Ernst said she had declined Trump's offer to be his vice-presidential running mate because "it wasn't the right thing for me or my family." The divorce was finalized in January 2019, with Joni Ernst alleging that Gail had verbally and mentally abused her and on one occasion physically assaulted her. The Ernsts accused each other of infidelity; both denied the respective accusations. In her first interview after her divorce, Ernst revealed that she had been raped in college. Ernst is a lifetime member of the Montgomery County Republican Women,
Veterans of Foreign Wars The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), formally the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States Armed Forces, United States war veterans who fought in wars, Military campaign, campaig ...
Post 2265, Montgomery County Court of Honor, Altrusa, PEO Chapter HB, the National Rifle Association of America, and the Montgomery County Farm Bureau. Her church is Mamrelund Lutheran Church in Stanton, Iowa, of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. As of December 31, 2023, it ...
(ELCA) denomination. On June 13, 2018, federal judge Linda Reade sentenced Joseph Dierks, of
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, to six years in prison for threatening "to kill or otherwise harm" Ernst on
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. The sentence, which exceeds sentencing guidelines, was imposed on Dierks for disparaging comments he made about Reade and threats against the case prosecutor and his children, and against black corrections officers while awaiting trial. As of 2018, according to OpenSecrets.org, Ernst's net worth was negative, owing more than $196,000. In May 2020, she published her memoir, ''Daughter of the Heartland: My Ode to the Country That Raised Me''. In March 2025, ''
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'' reported that, according to multiple sources, Ernst had romantic relationships with a "legislative affairs official" for the Navy in 2019 and "the general who oversaw" the Air Force's "lobbying before Congress" at some point before the Inspector General for the Air Force completed a report on that general's behavior in 2023; these relationships raised conflict of interest questions about Ernst, who was serving on the Armed Services Committee at the time.


Electoral history


See also

* Women in the United States Senate


References


External links


Senator Joni Ernst
official U.S. Senate website
Joni Ernst for U.S. Senate
campaign website * * , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Ernst, Joni 1970 births Living people 21st-century American women politicians 21st-century members of the Iowa General Assembly 21st-century United States senators American Lutherans Columbus State University alumni County auditors in the United States Female United States Army officers Female United States senators Iowa National Guard personnel Iowa Republicans Iowa Women's Hall of Fame Inductees Iowa State University alumni Lutherans from Iowa People from Montgomery County, Iowa People from Red Oak, Iowa Republican Party Iowa state senators Republican Party United States senators from Iowa United States Army personnel of the Iraq War United States Army reservists Women in the Iraq War Women state legislators in Iowa