OAN Staff Abril Elfi
1:11 PM – Friday, August 29, 2025
Iowa GOP Senator Joni Ernst has informed confidantes that she will not seek re-election in 2026. She is expected to make a formal announcement next week, according to multiple incoming reports.
On Friday, CBS News reported that Ernst (R-Iowa) is expected to make an official announcement next Thursday, explaining that she will not run for re-election. She was first elected to the Senate in 2014.
Ernst had already been somewhat vague about whether she would seek a third term in 2026, though in her remarks earlier this month, she projected that Republicans would maintain control of Iowa.
“Every day we get a new Democratic member of the House or Senate that decides to run for this Senate seat — bring it on,” she said at a meeting of the Westside Conservative Club. “Bring it on, folks. Because I tell you, at the end of the day, Iowa is going to be red.”
Senior White House officials, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair, met privately with Senator Ernst to encourage her to seek re-election in 2026. They emphasized the administration’s strong support for her campaign, aiming to help maintain the GOP majority in the Senate.
Nonetheless, Ernst has reportedly told those close to her that she intends to serve only two terms — emphasizing that she has completed her goals and plans to move into the private sector, according to one of the anonymous sources.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!Sponsored Content Below