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Joni Ernst | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Jeanne Shaheen |
| Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Rand Paul |
| Succeeded by | Ed Markey |
| Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 | |
| Leader | Mitch McConnell |
| Preceded by | Roy Blunt |
| Succeeded by | Shelley Moore Capito |
| Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Leader | Mitch McConnell |
| Preceded by | Roy Blunt |
| Succeeded by | Shelley Moore Capito |
| United States Senator from Iowa | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2015 Serving with Chuck Grassley | |
| Preceded by | Tom Harkin |
| Member of the Iowa Senate from the 12th district | |
| In office January 5, 2011 – November 28, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Kim Reynolds |
| Succeeded by | Mark Costello |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joni Kay Culver July 1, 1970 Red Oak, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Gail Ernst
(m. 1992; div. 2019) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Senate website |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service |
|
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit |
|
| Wars | Iraq War |
| Awards | |
Joni Kay Ernst (née Culver; born July 1, 1970)[1] is an American politician and former military officer serving since 2015 as the junior United States senator from Iowa.[2] A member of the Republican Party, she previously served in the Iowa State Senate from 2011 to 2014 and as auditor of Montgomery County from 2004 to 2011. As Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee since 2023, after having been vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference since 2019, Ernst is the fourth-ranking Republican in the Senate.
After graduating from Iowa State University, Ernst joined the United States Army Reserve.[3] She served in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1993 to 2015, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.[4] During the Iraq War, she served as the commanding officer of the 1168th Transportation Company in Kuwait and later commanded the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Camp Dodge, the Iowa Army National Guard's largest battalion.[5][6][7][8] After having been Montgomery County Auditor and serving in the Iowa State Senate, Ernst was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. She was the first Republican to win the seat since 1978. She was thought to be a possible running mate for Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign. She was reelected in 2020.[9]
Ernst opposes legalizing abortion, and has supported a fetal personhood amendment and introduced legislation to defund Planned Parenthood. She opposes the Affordable Care Act and has called for reforms to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. During the Trump administration, she expressed concern about, although not opposition to, Trump's trade war with China and criticized some aspects of his foreign policy. Ernst voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. While supporting both Trump's nominees for EPA administrator, she expressed concern over their commitment to the Renewable Fuel Standard. She rejects the scientific consensus on climate change. Ernst has opposed a federal minimum wage and advocated for the elimination of federal departments such as the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency. She is considered hawkish on foreign policy.[10]
- ^ Ernst, Gail. "Joni Kay Ernst – Plaza of Heroines at Iowa State University". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ Jacobs, Jennifer (June 3, 2014). "Joni Ernst wins Iowa GOP U.S. Senate race". The Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on June 4, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
abcnews.go.comwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Jacobs, Jennifer (December 1, 2015). "Joni Ernst retires from the military". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- ^ "First Female Veteran, Joni Ernst, Sworn into U.S. Senate". centennial.legion.org. Indianapolis, IN: American Legion. January 3, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ Noble, Jason (April 5, 2015). "Examining Ernst's Military Credentials". The Des Moines Register. Des Moines, IA. pp. A1, A9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:4was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:5was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Iowa GOP Sen. Ernst elected to 2nd term after heated race". AP NEWS. November 3, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
- ^ Martin, Jonathan (July 17, 2024). "'Scared to Death': GOP Security Hawks Slam Vance Selection". POLITICO.