Global InformationJoni Ernst information
Joni Ernst | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2020 | |
| United States Senator from Iowa | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2015 Serving with Chuck Grassley | |
| Preceded by | Tom Harkin |
| Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Rand Paul |
| Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Leader | Mitch McConnell |
| Preceded by | Roy Blunt |
| 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 |
| 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[1][2] |
| Education | Iowa State University (BA) Columbus State University (MPA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Senate website |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army Iowa Army National Guard |
| Years of service | 1992–2015[3] |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel[3] |
| Unit | 1168th Transportation Company[4] 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion[5] |
| Wars | Iraq War[4] |
| Awards | Meritorious Service Medal Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal |
Joni Kay Ernst (née Culver; born July 1, 1970)[6] is an American politician and former military officer serving as the junior United States senator from Iowa since 2015.[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, 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][10][11][12][13] Ernst also holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University.[14][8]
In 2004, Ernst was elected Montgomery County Auditor.[15] She was reelected in 2008.[8][16][17] In 2011, Ernst was elected to the Iowa State Senate in a special election and reelected in 2012. She represented District 12, in southwestern Iowa.[9][10][18][19] Ernst ran for the United States Senate in 2014 and won, succeeding longtime Democratic Senator Tom Harkin and becoming the first Republican to win that seat since 1978. Having been strongly critical of President Barack Obama, she has been characterized as a reliable ally of President Donald Trump, and was thought to be a possible running mate in his 2016 campaign. Ernst was elected vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference in November 2018.[20] She was reelected in 2020, defeating Democratic nominee Theresa Greenfield by 6.6 points.[21]
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.
- ^ Hughes, Emer (November 3, 2014). "Gail Ernst, Joni Ernst's Husband: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
- ^ a b Rogin, Ali (July 18, 2016). "Joni Ernst: Everything You Need to Know". ABC News.
- ^ a b c Jacobs, Jennifer (December 1, 2015). "Joni Ernst retires from the military". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "First Female Veteran, Joni Ernst, Sworn into U.S. Senate". centennial.legion.org. Indianapolis, IN: American Legion. January 3, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ 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.
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- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:6was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Peterson, Mike (November 10, 2015). "Schoonover named to workforce development post". KMAland.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
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:8was 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.