Joni Ernst facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joni Ernst
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Jeanne Shaheen |
| Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Rand Paul |
| Succeeded by | Ed Markey |
| Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 |
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| 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 |
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| Leader | Mitch McConnell |
| Preceded by | Roy Blunt |
| Succeeded by | Shelley Moore Capito |
| United States Senator from Iowa |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2015 Serving with Chuck Grassley
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| Preceded by | Tom Harkin |
| Member of the Iowa Senate from the 12th district |
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| In office January 5, 2011 – November 28, 2014 |
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| 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 |
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| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
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| Years of service |
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| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit |
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| Wars | Iraq War |
| Awards |
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Joni Kay Ernst (born July 1, 1970) is an American politician and former military officer. She has served as a U.S. Senator for Iowa since 2015. She is a member of the Republican Party. Before becoming a senator, she was part of the Iowa State Senate from 2011 to 2014. She also worked as an auditor for Montgomery County from 2004 to 2011.
Senator Ernst holds an important position as the fourth-ranking Republican in the Senate. She has been the Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee since 2023. Before that, she was the vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference starting in 2019.
After finishing her studies at Iowa State University, Ernst joined the United States Army Reserve. She served in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1993 until 2015. She retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel. During the Iraq War, she led the 1168th Transportation Company in Kuwait. Later, she commanded the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.
Joni Ernst was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. She was the first Republican to win that seat from Iowa since 1978. She was reelected in 2020.
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Early Life and Education
Joni Ernst was born Joni Kay Culver in Montgomery County, Iowa. Her parents are Marilyn and Richard Culver. She was the top student in her class at Stanton Community School District High School.
She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Iowa State University in 1992. In 1995, she received a master's degree in public administration from Columbus State University. During her college years, she took part in an agricultural exchange program to the Soviet Union.
Military Service
At age 20, Ernst joined the ROTC program at Iowa State University. After graduating, she joined the United States Army Reserve. She became a logistics officer. She reached the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard.
From 2003 to 2004, she spent 12 months in Kuwait. She was the commander of the 1168th Transportation Company during the Iraq War. Later in her military career, she commanded the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. This was the largest battalion in the Iowa Army National Guard.
Ernst retired from the military in 2015. She had served for 23 years in the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard. She received several awards for her service. These include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.
Early Political Career in Iowa
Ernst began her political career as the Montgomery County Auditor in 2004. She was reelected to this position in 2008.
In 2011, she was elected to the Iowa State Senate in a special election. She was reelected in 2012. She represented District 12, which covers southwestern Iowa. After winning her election to the U.S. Senate, Ernst resigned from the Iowa State Senate on November 28, 2014.
U.S. Senate Career
Joni Ernst was sworn into the United States Senate on January 3, 2015. She became Iowa's first new U.S. senator since 1985. She gave the official Republican response to the State of the Union address on January 20, 2015.
Elections to the Senate
2014 Election
In July 2013, Ernst announced she would run for the Senate seat. This seat was being left open by retiring Democratic Senator Tom Harkin. She received support from important political figures. These included former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
At the start of her campaign, Ernst was not widely known. However, she gained a lot of support in the Republican primary. This support included significant funding for television ads. Many people found her campaign ad humorous. It was even made fun of by late-night comedians. This ad helped her become a strong front-runner in the primary election.
During her campaign, Ernst talked about her military service. She also discussed her views on important issues. The Des Moines Register newspaper endorsed her for the Republican primary. They described her as a "smart, well-prepared candidate."
In the 2014 election, Ernst won the Senate race with 52.2% of the votes. She became the first woman to be elected to represent Iowa in either the House or Senate.
2020 Election
Ernst ran for reelection in 2020. She did not face any opponents in the Republican primary. In the general election, she ran against Democratic candidate Theresa Greenfield. Ernst was expected to win and she did, with 52% of the votes.
Key Moments in the Senate
In May 2016, Joni Ernst was considered a possible choice for vice presidential running mate for Donald Trump. She met privately with Trump in July. However, Trump later chose Mike Pence as his running mate.
In November 2018, Ernst was elected as the vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference. This was an important leadership role.
In 2019, Ernst became the first female Republican to be appointed to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This committee handles important legal matters.
In August 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ernst made comments about the reported case numbers. She later clarified her statements.
After Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away in September 2020, Ernst supported President Trump nominating a new justice before the November election.
When Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in January 2021, Ernst was there. She called the event "a protest turned anarchy." She said it was a "complete betrayal" of peaceful protest ideals. She voted to support the certification of the 2020 election results.
In March 2024, Ernst announced she would run for Senate Republican Conference chair in 2025.
Committee Roles
Senator Ernst serves on several important committees in the Senate:
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Airland
- Subcommittee on Cybersecurity
- Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities (Ranking Member)
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade
- Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research
- Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy
- Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Ranking Member)
Other Groups
Ernst is also a member of these groups:
- Republican Main Street Partnership
- Senate Taiwan Caucus
Political Views
Joni Ernst generally votes in line with the Donald Trump's political goals. She is considered a conservative politician.
Economic Issues
Ernst does not support a federal minimum wage. She believes states should decide their own minimum wages. She has also suggested getting rid of the Internal Revenue Service.
She supports a simpler federal tax system. She also wants to reduce government spending. Ernst has expressed support for allowing young workers to have Social Security accounts that are partly private.
Education Policy
Ernst supports getting rid of the U.S. Department of Education. She believes that states are better at educating children. The Department of Education helps with research, prevents discrimination, and provides student financial aid.
Environmental Views
Ernst does not agree with the scientific consensus that human activities are the main cause of climate change. She believes that any government rules about climate change should be very small. She has said that the climate "always changes."
She has called for eliminating the Environmental Protection Agency. She also criticized the Clean Water Act for its impact on farms. Ernst supported Trump's decision to leave the Paris climate accords.
Foreign Policy
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Ernst opposed the Iran nuclear deal made by the Obama administration. She supported the U.S. military's action against Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.
Regarding the Iraq War, she has said that leaving more troops in Iraq longer might have prevented some current problems.
In 2017, Ernst said Russia's actions, like taking over Crimea, were "totally unacceptable." She urged Trump to "show strength against Vladimir Putin."
She has expressed concern about the Syrian civil war. She said the U.S. should stop accepting Syrian refugees without a "thorough vetting process." She also worried about withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria too soon.
Gun Laws
Ernst supports open carry legislation, which allows people to carry guns openly. She also supports allowing people with concealed carry permits in their home state to carry concealed weapons in other states.
After the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, she said that mental illness was a main cause of many mass shootings. She also supported a bill to require federal authorities to inform states if someone fails a background check when trying to buy a gun.
Healthcare
Ernst is against the Affordable Care Act (ACA). She voted to repeal the ACA in 2017. She has also supported changes to Medicare and Medicaid.
Immigration
In 2018, Ernst and other senators wrote a letter to the Defense Secretary. They were concerned about sending military lawyers to handle immigration cases at the southern border. They felt it was not the right use of military personnel.
During the 2018–19 United States federal government shutdown over funding for a border wall, Ernst said not all border areas need a physical barrier. She suggested technology or Border Patrol agents could monitor some areas.
LGBTQ+ Rights
In 2014, Ernst said she believed same-sex marriage was an issue for states to decide. However, she said she would support a federal ban if one was proposed. In the Iowa Senate, she supported a bill to define marriage as between one man and one woman in the state constitution.
In 2017, she said she was against Trump's ban on transgender people serving in the armed forces. In 2022, Ernst was one of 12 Republican senators who voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. This law protects marriage equality.
Trade Policy
In 2018, when Trump put tariffs on goods, Ernst expressed concern about the impact on farmers. However, she said that tariffs could be a way to bring countries to the negotiating table. She noted that Iowa farmers were "disappointed" but understood that China was causing the trade issues.
She also supported keeping and updating the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Personal Life
Joni Ernst married Gail Ernst in 1992. They have one child. They divorced in January 2019.
Ernst is a member of several organizations. These include the Montgomery County Republican Women, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2265, and the National Rifle Association of America. Her church is Mamrelund Lutheran Church in Stanton, Iowa.
In May 2020, she published her book, Daughter of the Heartland: My Ode to the Country That Raised Me.
Images for kids
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Joni Ernst's signature
See also
