Iowa Senator Joni Ernst Reportedly Plans To Announce Retirement From U.S. Senate

Senator Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican, is expected to announce next week that she will not seek reelection in 2026, according to numerous reports.

The Iraq war combat veteran, who has represented Iowa since 2015 after becoming the first woman to win a Senate seat in the state, is expected to make the announcement on Thursday, CBS News reported.

Ms. Ernst, 55, could be setting up a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. She had been cagey of late about whether she would run for a third term, but said earlier this month that the GOP would keep control of Iowa. 

“Every day we get a new Democratic member of the House or Senate that decides to run for this Senate seat — bring it on,” she said at a meeting of the Westside Conservative Club. “Bring it on, folks. Because I tell you, at the end of the day, Iowa is going to be red.”

Several Iowa Democrats have already entered the race for Ms. Ernst’s seat, including state Senator Zach Wahls, state Representative Josh Turek, and Des Moines School Board chairwoman Jackie Norris.

On the Republican side, Representative Ashley Hinson is planning to run for the open seat, according to reports. The former local TV news anchor, who flipped a Democratic-held House seat in northeastern Iowa in 2020, is viewed by some Republicans as a strong contender.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded to news of Ms. Ernst’s retirement by suggesting Democrats could have an opportunity to regain Senate control. “Every day, Trump’s devastating agenda and his forcing GOP senators to vote against the interests of their states puts their majority even further into jeopardy,” Mr. Schumer said in a statement.

However, Democrats face an uphill battle in Iowa, where they haven’t won a Senate race since 2008 and have struggled in recent statewide elections. Ms. Ernst won reelection by more than six points in 2020, and Mr. Trump carried the state by double digits in 2024. Chuck Grassley, Iowa’s senior U.S. senator, has held his seat for more than four decades.

Ms. Ernst grew up in rural southwestern Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University before joining the Army reserves. She retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard after serving tours in Kuwait and Iraq.

After stints in local and state government, Ms. Ernst ran for an open U.S. Senate seat in 2014. She defeated Democratic Representative Bruce Braley, running as a Washington outsider with a memorable campaign ad in which she referenced her experience castrating pigs and promised to “make ’em squeal” in Washington.

Ms. Ernst rose to the No. 3 leadership position in the Republican conference and has been a reliable supporter of President Trump’s agenda. She was even interviewed by Mr. Trump as a potential vice presidential pick in 2016, though she ultimately withdrew from consideration.

The senator has faced pressure from her party’s right flank, particularly during her public wavering over whether to support Mr. Trump’s Defense Department nominee Pete Hegseth. Despite her concerns about allegations against Mr. Hegseth, which he vehemently denied, Ms. Ernst ultimately voted to confirm him.