Iowa Republican U.S. Senator Joni Ernst announced she will not seek reelection on Tuesday, in what is expected to be the marquee race for the 2026 midterm election.
The announcement comes after a flurry of national news reports on Friday that Ernst would drop out in early September.
An Iraq war veteran, Ernst is the first woman elected to an Iowa congressional seat and the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate. She won the vacant seat left by retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, in 2014.
The news comes as Ernst has delayed a formal announcement despite hiring a campaign manager and setting a date for her annual fundraiser in October.
“It has been an honor to dedicate my life to the service of our great state and country, having been raised in a family that has given me so much love and support,” Ernst said in the video statement on Tuesday. “After a tremendous amount of prayer and reflection, I will not be seeking reelection in 2026.”
Ernst’s announcement opens up fierce primary competition on both sides of the aisle, with Democrats from around the state vying for the seat, and a handful of Republicans expected to enter the fray following Ernst’s announcement.
In the video statement, Ernst said she is looking forward to spending more time with her family and serving in other ways.
“There is still so much to accomplish before the end of my term, and I’ll keep fighting every single day, as I always have to make Iowans’ voices heard loud and clear in the halls of Congress,” Ernst said. “While this chapter of elected service will soon close, I will always find ways to best serve my community, state, and these great United States of America.”
My message to Iowans: pic.twitter.com/K6mHG6bSuE
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) September 2, 2025
Ashley Hinson expected to become the Republican frontrunner
U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, who represents the 2nd Congressional District, is expected to announce her intent to seek the Republican nomination for the race and is seen as a frontrunner.
Hinson rose to prominence in 2020 when she rode a nationwide movement for parental rights, which became a flash point in Marion, and has handily won reelection twice in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, shortly following the announcement, Hinson hinted at a possible run for Ernst’s now vacant Senate seat.
“As we look forward, President Trump needs a fighter in the Senate who will always have his back to continue to cut spending, deport illegal aliens, and put working families first,” Hinson said in a post on X on Tuesday. “I’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with the President to pass this America First agenda in the House, and I would be his strongest ally in the Senate. Matt and I will have an announcement soon about how we believe we can best serve Iowa, and how we can help President Trump make America great again.”
Service defines Senator Joni Ernst — from serving her country in uniform to fiercely fighting for Iowans in the U.S. Senate. Her story — from Red Oak to the Senate — is a powerful example of the American dream. Our country and state are better off because of Joni’s selfless…
— Ashley Hinson (@hinsonashley) September 2, 2025
Democrats criticize Ernst’s legacy
Seasoned politicians and newcomers alike have challenged Ernst, with Iowa State Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, Iowa State Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, Des Moines Independent Community School District Board Chair Jackie Norris, and political newcomer Nathan Sage all vying for the seat.
Former Iowa State Senator Bob Krause announced he would seek the nomination, as well, on Tuesday, shortly before Ernst’s announcement.
In a statement before Ernst’s announcement, Wahls boasted he reached frontrunner status in the race, and he has received institutional support because of it.
“Joni Ernst saw the strength of our campaign and ran for the hills,” Wahls said in a statement Tuesday. “We’ve already driven her out of the race, and we are just getting started. Today, we are building on our momentum with the endorsement of State Representative Dave Jacoby, who knows that we need to elect a fighter, not a follower, to the Senate. I am honored to have his support for the work ahead.”
Iowa Democrats’ Chair Rita Hart said despite Ernst not seeking reelection, the eventual Republican nominee will “be saddled with the same toxic Republican agenda that’s harming Iowa families.”
“The energy is on our side heading into the midterms as Iowans are fed up with Washington Republicans spiking costs for working people to deliver tax cuts for billionaires,” Hart said in the statement. “In 2026, Iowans will elect a Democrat to the U.S. Senate who will prioritize making Iowa economically prosperous and a healthier state.”
The campaign arm for U.S. Senate Democrats said that Ernst’s decision not to seek reelection opens up the Senate map.
“An open seat in Iowa is just the latest example of Democrats expanding the senatorial map,” Senate Majority PAC Lauren French said in a statement. “And the fact remains, regardless of who the GOP nominee is, they are going to have to answer to Iowans hurting because of the deep cuts to health care and nutrition assistance forced upon them by congressional Republicans.”
Iowa Republicans react to Ernst’s decision
Following Ernst’s announcement, a gamut of Iowa Republicans thanked Ernst for her service in Iraq and in the U.S. Senate.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in a statement Tuesday that “it has been an honor to serve Iowans alongside my friend and colleague, Joni Ernst.”
“As the Senate’s first female combat veteran and Iowa’s first woman elected to Congress, she broke barriers at every turn and accomplished what she set out to do: ‘MAKE ‘EM SQUEAL,’” Grassley said in a statement Tuesday. “Joni is a valued partner in the Senate, and I look forward to working together on issues important to Iowans throughout the remainder of her term.”
Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kauffmann said her work over the past decade has benefited Iowans.
“From the start, Joni set out to make Washington squeal, and she delivered,” Kauffmann said in a statement. “Iowa is better off because of Senator Ernst’s leadership, and we are confident the next generation of Republican leaders will continue building on her incredible legacy.”