lowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst has reportedly opted against seeking reelection to a third term, with a formal announcement to be made in the coming weeks.
Ernst has been weighing the decision for months and recently started informing pals.
Her retirement will open a Senate seat in Iowa, where GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson is likely to enter the race, a highly anticipated move of national Republicans, as reported by CNN.
Democrats already have a field filled with candidates that includes state Rep. Josh Turek, state Sen. Zach Wahls, Des Moines School Board chair Jackie Norris, and Knoxville Chamber of Commerce executive Nathan Sage.
Ernst, initially elected in 2014 with her slogan “Make ‘em squeal,” got fame as a fiscal conservative. Over time, she has strived to maintain a balance between Trump-aligned Republicans and more moderate GOP voters.
Moreover, she faced massive backlash for controversial remarks, including informing a constituent concerned about Medicaid cuts that “we are all going to die.”
Iowa has shifted Republican in recent elections, with Trump leading with eight points in 2020 and 13 in 2024.
Still, Democrats cite latest special election wins as evidence of momentum before 2026, when they require only four seats to retake Senate control.
