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Ernst draws challenger after defending GOP megabill
- Iowa State Rep. J.D. Scholten announced his 2026 U.S. Senate run to challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.
- Scholten declared his candidacy shortly after Ernst faced backlash for downplaying Medicaid and SNAP cuts at a Parkersburg town hall.
- Scholten, a Sioux City Democrat and baseball pitcher, won reelection in 2024 and criticized Ernst’s comments as disrespecting Iowans reliant on Medicaid.
- Ernst responded to criticism, saying, "Well, we are all going to die," which drew jeers and intensified Scholten's call for change.
- The race highlights growing tensions over Medicaid cuts amid a budget bill reducing enrollment by about 10 million and signals a challenging 2026 election for Ernst.
66 Articles
66 Articles
Joni Ernst’s Medicaid Quip Could Cost Her in Midterms
Joni Ernst’s cruel Medicaid quip could cost her in midterms. Iowa has been trending heavily toward the GOP during the Trump era but is now looking potentially competitive for 2026, in part thanks to a gaffe by GOP Senator Joni Ernst.
The woman who prompted Ernst's 'We're all going to die' remark is running for Iowa House
The woman who told Sen. Joni Ernst that “people will die” if she votes to cut Medicaid said the senator’s mock apology a day later was “deeply insensitive” toward people who could lose health care. India May of Charles City is a registered nurse, a county death investigator, and a library director in Northeast Iowa. She’s been advocating for progressive causes like disability rights, rural health care, and education since she was a child. So she…
‘We’re all going to die’: GOP senator defends Medicaid cuts under Trump bill
Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst defended Medicaid cuts included in President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” telling constituents, "Well, we're all going to die" during a town hall on Friday.
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