Joni Ernst

Joni Ernst
United States Senator
from Iowa
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Serving with Chuck Grassley
Preceded byTom Harkin
Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byRand Paul
Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
LeaderMitch McConnell
Preceded byRoy Blunt
Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Conference
In office
January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023
LeaderMitch McConnell
Preceded byRoy Blunt
Succeeded byShelley Moore Capito
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 12th district
In office
January 5, 2011 – November 28, 2014
Preceded byKim Reynolds
Succeeded byMark Costello
Personal details
Born
Joni Kay Culver

(1970-07-01) July 1, 1970 (age 54)
Red Oak, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Gail Ernst
​
​
(m. 1992; div. 2019)​
Children1[1][2]
Education
Signature
WebsiteSenate website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service
Years of service
  • 1992–1993 (reserve)
  • 1993–2015 (guard)[3]
Rank Lieutenant Colonel[3]
Unit
  • 1168th Transportation Company[4]
  • 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion[5]
WarsIraq War[4]
Awards
Joni Ernst's voice
Joni Ernst speaks on Federal Regulations
Recorded March 7, 2023

Joni Kay Ernst (née Culver; born July 1, 1970)[6] is an American politician and former military officer serving since 2015 as the junior United States senator from Iowa.[7] 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.[2] She served in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1993 to 2015, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.[3] 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.[8][9] After having been Montgomery County Auditor and serving in the Iowa State Senate, Ernst was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. She became the first Republican to win the Iowa seat since 1978. She was thought to be a possible running mate for Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign. She was reelected in 2020.[10]

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.[11]

  1. ^ Hughes, Emer (November 3, 2014). "Gail Ernst, Joni Ernst's Husband: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Rogin, Ali (July 18, 2016). "Joni Ernst: Everything You Need to Know". ABC News.
  3. ^ a b c Jacobs, Jennifer (December 1, 2015). "Joni Ernst retires from the military". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Noble, Jason (April 5, 2015). "Examining Ernst's Military Credentials". The Des Moines Register. Des Moines, IA. pp. A1, A9 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "First Female Veteran, Joni Ernst, Sworn into U.S. Senate". centennial.legion.org. Indianapolis, IN: American Legion. January 3, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  6. ^ Ernst, Gail. "Joni Kay Ernst – Plaza of Heroines at Iowa State University". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Iowa GOP Sen. Ernst elected to 2nd term after heated race". AP NEWS. November 3, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  11. ^ Martin, Jonathan (July 17, 2024). "'Scared to Death': GOP Security Hawks Slam Vance Selection". POLITICO.