Overview

• At a late-May town hall in Parkersburg, Ernst responded to a constituent’s warning that ’people will die’ under proposed Medicaid cuts by declaring ‘we’re all going to die’, drawing boos from the audience.
• The Associated Press and other outlets framed her remark as a callous defense of Medicaid reductions in the Senate’s reconciliation bill, amplifying the controversy on social media.
• In a follow-up video apology, Ernst mocked the uproar with cemetery footage, quipped about the tooth fairy and invoked Jesus as a justification, deepening criticism of her approach.
• Ernst’s spokeswoman defended the senator’s focus on safeguarding eligible Iowans from waste and fraud in Medicaid and on preserving taxpayers’ dollars.
• Democratic state Rep. J.D. Scholten cited Ernst’s comment as motivation for his 2026 Senate campaign, arguing that Iowa voters deserve more compassionate leadership.