Senator Joni Ernst confirms she will not seek reelection in 2026
The Iowa Republican explained the decision on social media, where she argued that her retirement is because she wants to spend more time with her family after 12 years in Washington, D.C.
Joni Ernst/Brendan Smialowski
Joni Ernst confirmed that she will not seek re-election in 2026. After two terms in the Senate, the Iowa Republican opted to step aside to spend more time with her family. She released the news with a video on social media, where she assured that she will continue working to advance her state's priorities.
The senator joined three other Republican colleagues who will also not seek to renew their seats next year: Tommy Tuberville (candidate for governor of Alabama), Thom Tillis (retirement) and Mitch McConnell (retirement).
"It has been an honor to dedicate my life to the service of our great state and country. Having been raised in a family who has given me so much love and support, now, as our family ages and grows, it's my time for me to give back to them. After a tremendous amount of prayer and reflection, I will not be seeking re-election in 2026," Ernst said in the message posted online.
"This was no easy decision. I never imagined this farm girl would have the opportunity to serve as a lieutenant colonel and then a United States senator," she added.
Ernst, who has been in the Senate since 2015, was criticized for comments she made in May during a Republican town hall. When asked about the effects of the "Big Beautiful Bill" on Medicaid, one of the attendees shouted at her that people were going to die because of the law, to which the senator sarcastically responded that "we're all going to die."
Shortly thereafter, she responded to the criticism with a video, also in a sarcastic tone: "I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that yes, we are all going to perish from this Earth. But for those that would like to see eternal and everlasting life, I encourage you to embrace my lord and savior, Jesus Christ."
During her years in the Senate, she held several positions within the Republican leadership and currently chairs the Small Business Committee. Specifically, she pushed bills on defense issues, veterans care and improvements in the Pentagon's response to allegations of sexual harassment and assault in the military.
Veteran Sen. Chuck Grassley reacted to his colleague's retirement by thanking her for her years of service. "I love serving the ppl of Iowa w Joni Ernst. She made history as the Senate’s first female combat veteran +Iowa’s first woman elected to Congress. I'm honored to call her a friend," he posted on X.
Who will replace Ernst in the Senate?
"President Trump is restoring the American Dream but our work isn’t over yet. The Left will do anything and everything to resurrect their out-of-touch agenda and dismantle our progress. As Iowa’s next Senator, I will stop at nothing to Make America Great!" she said on her X account.
"From securing our border and deporting illegal aliens, to keeping men out of girl’s sports and cutting taxes for working families, I will fight every day for Iowans and our conservative values," she added.
The 42-year-old Republican joins the candidacies of state Senator Jim Carlin and Joshua Smith, former vice president of the Libertarian National Committee. Another possible name is Matthew Whitaker, the current ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
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