Joni Ernst

Joni Ernst is an American politician and military veteran serving as the junior United States Senator from Iowa since 2015. Born on July 1, 1970, in Red Oak, Iowa, she was raised on a family farm and later graduated as valedictorian of her high school class. Ernst earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Iowa State University in 1992 and a Master of Public Administration from Columbus College (now Columbus State University) in 1995. She dedicated over 23 years to military service, first in the U.S. Army Reserve and later in the Iowa Army National Guard, where she attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and served as a company commander in Kuwait and Iraq during the Iraq War. Her political career began in local government, serving as the Montgomery County auditor from 2005 to 2011, followed by service in the Iowa State Senate from 2011 until her election to the U.S. Senate in 2014. Her victory made her the first woman from Iowa elected to either house of Congress and the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate. Within the Republican party, she has held significant leadership roles, including serving as Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Conference and Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. She was re-elected in 2020 and later announced in September 2025 that she would not seek a third term in 2026. Throughout her tenure, Ernst has focused on agriculture, veterans' affairs, and government accountability. She gained national prominence with her "Make Washington Squeal" campaign, which emphasized her commitment to cutting government waste and spending. She has served on the Senate Committees on Armed Services and Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, often advocating for Iowan interests such as biofuel standards and rural healthcare access.

Senator Ernst holds a consistently conservative voting record and platform. She is a proponent of fiscal responsibility and tax reduction, having supported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and frequently calling for the elimination of federal waste. On healthcare, she advocates for repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act with market-based alternatives and has supported legislation to decrease prescription drug prices and expand rural telehealth services. As a representative of a major agricultural state, she is a vocal supporter of the Renewable Fuel Standard and ethanol production, emphasizing biofuels for energy independence. Her foreign policy positions emphasize a strong national defense and support for key allies like Israel, while her immigration stance focuses on enhanced border security and stricter enforcement. Additionally, she is a staunch supporter of Second Amendment rights and holds pro-life views on abortion.