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2w ago

Ernst Won't Seek Reelection, Opening Iowa Senate Race as Hinson Launches Bid

The vacancy elevates Iowa on the 2026 Senate map.

FILE - Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)
FILE - Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks at a hearing on Capitol Hill Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell, File)
Senator Joni Ernst speaks to reporters in Washington, D.C. on November 19, 2024.

Overview

  • Sen. Joni Ernst announced in a video that she will not run in 2026, citing family after “prayer and reflection.”
  • Rep. Ashley Hinson entered the Republican primary within hours, positioning herself as a leading contender and putting her House seat in play.
  • Democratic contenders include state Sen. Zach Wahls, state Rep. Josh Turek, Des Moines school board chair Jackie Norris, and Knoxville business leader Nathan Sage, with former state Rep. Bob Krause also declaring.
  • On the GOP side, former state Sen. Jim Carlin and veteran Joshua Smith were already in the race, pointing to competitive primaries for both parties.
  • The Cook Political Report moved the contest to “Likely Republican” after Ernst’s retirement, and the open seat factors into Republicans’ effort to hold their narrow Senate majority following Sen. Thom Tillis’s exit.