Iowa GOP Sen. Joni Ernst Will Not Seek Reelection

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iraq War combat veteran and the first woman Iowa ever elected to Congress, is expected to announce next month that she will not seek reelection.

Ernst, a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, first won her Senate seat in 2014. (Photo: Senator Joni Ernst Facebook)

Her departure will open another key seat in Iowa and could have ripple effects down the ballot as Democrats eye the state for possible pickups, Seung Min Kim, Hannah Fingerhut, and Joey Cappelletti reported for the Associated Press.

Ernst’s exit adds to the GOP’s challenges as Senate Republicans work to hold their majority.

North Carolina’s Sen. Thom Tillis already declined a reelection bid after clashes with President Donald Trump.

Ernst plans to announce in September that she will forgo a third term, according to four people familiar with her decision who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ernst, a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, first won her Senate seat in 2014. She rose to the No. 4 spot in GOP leadership and was once considered a potential vice-presidential pick for Trump.

Her decision comes after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, the state’s first female governor, said she would not seek another term.

That move set off speculation among Iowa Republicans about open opportunities for higher office — speculation likely to intensify now with Ernst’s impending departure.