Tough-talking fiscal conservative Senator Joni Ernst is set to stun Washington by announcing she won’t seek reelection.
The 55-year-old Iowa Republican does not plan on seeking reelection in the 2026 midterms, according to sources close to her who spoke with CBS News.
Ernst, the first female combat veteran in Congress, has served in the Senate since 2015 and her second term will expire on January 3, 2027.
The sources disclosed that the senator’s announcement is scheduled for Thursday.
Ernst’s Senate office did not immediately return the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
A two-term senator from southwestern Iowa, Ernst went to college at Iowa State University before joining the Army reserves.
While in the armed services, Ernst took tours in Kuwait and Iraq. She retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard.
The relatively young senator’s imminent departure follows her earlier reservations about Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is reportedly not going to run for re-election in 2026
Sen. Joni Ernst is seen with President Donald Trump in a photo dated June 13, 2024 with caption: Just had lunch with Donald J. Trump!
Ernst has served in the Senate since 2015
Ernst was once vetted as a potential Trump running mate in 2016 and has largely been a staunch supporter of the president.
Initially, she opposed Trump’s selection of former Fox News host Pete Hegseth due to allegations concerning alcohol abuse and mistreatment of women that surfaced during his confirmation hearings in December 2024.
Ernst, herself a survivor of sexual assault, was however skeptical about allegations made against Hegseth.
That resistance infuriated Trump’s orbit, which launched a pressure campaign and threatened her with a MAGA-backed primary challenger.
Nevertheless, Ernst ultimately decided in favor and cast her vote for Hegseth, allowing him to pass with the slimmest majority – 51-50 – after JD Vance provided the crucial tie-breaking vote.
Throughout Hegseth’s confirmation process in December 2024, issues about his conduct towards women and alcohol use became prominent, leading Republican Senators Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, and Susan Collins to reject his confirmation.
Hegseth had been a sharp critic of women taking combat roles as well.
Ernst was peeved with those remarks.
She has focused on legislation and oversight of sexual assault and harassment in the military.
Ernst faced mounting pressure from MAGA allies, alongside threats of a primary challenge, which risked her removal from the chamber.
Trump’s choice for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth got a surprising boost when Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said ‘I support Pete through this process’
Sen. Joni Ernst engaged with Hegseth in her Senate office amid the public pressure. She released a statement noting, ‘As I support Pete through this process, I anticipate a fair hearing grounded in truth, not hearsay.’
Eventually she relented and pledged her support for Hegseth’s nomination.
The ex-Fox News host was later confirmed by a single vote margin, 51-50, after Vice President JD Vance had to break a tie.
The Iowa Republican has grown a reputation for identifying wasteful government, famously dubbing her monthly taxpayer exposé the ‘Squeal Award.
In November 2024, she co-founded the bipartisan Senate DOGE Caucus – short for ‘Defending Our Government from Excess’ – aimed at rooting out waste, fraud and abuse across federal agencies.
She worked closely with DOGE at the beginning of President Trump’s term.
With Ernst’s Senate seat reportedly opening up, several Republicans are at the top of the list to replace her.
Iowa Republican Ashley Hinson, 42, a former TV journalist and congresswoman since 2021, is thought to be a top candidate for the Senate seat.
Also in the mix would be NATO Ambassador Matt Whitaker, who ran in 2014 against Ernst in the Republican primary.
