Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa, a Republican, is reportedly planning not to seek a third term in the Senate, leaving a potential open seat that may become fiercely contested in the upcoming year, according to a GOP source. 

Representative Ashley Hinson, who transitioned from a journalism career to lawmaking and has been in Congress since 2021, appears to be the most promising candidate to succeed Ernst, as per the GOP source. 

CBS News initially reported Ernst’s decision not to run for reelection, with a formal announcement anticipated on Thursday. The Hill has reached out to Ernst’s office for further comments. 

Prior to the news of her expected retirement, the Cook Political Report, which is a nonpartisan election assessment source, had determined her seat as “likely Republican.” Ernst had previously secured a win against her Democratic opponent, Theresa Greenfield, by more than six percentage points during her costly 2020 reelection campaign. 

A number of Democrats have expressed interest in taking over Ernst’s seat, including Jackie Norris, chair of the Des Moines School Board, Nathan Sage, the former executive director of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, state Representative Josh Turek, and state Senator Zach Wahls. 

Ernst, who has a military background and personal experience as a sexual assault survivor, played a crucial role earlier this year in the confirmation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth faced allegations related to excessive drinking and a sexual assault incident, which he claimed was consensual and for which he was not charged. 

The Iowa Republican also faced some criticism during a town hall meeting in May in which she said “Well, we’re all going to die,” after an attendee said people would “die” amid a conversation around cuts to social safety programs.

Ernst unapologetically doubled down on her comments, saying in a video later, “I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So I apologize, and I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well.” 

Ernst is no stranger to winning tough races. Besides her 2020 reelection bid, she won a contested primary for a first term in 2014, which included U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker. One of her best known-ads during that election cycle was one in which she said “Washington’s full of big spenders. Let’s make ‘em squeal.”