Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, arrives for a closed briefing for members of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the U.S. Capitol on July 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson, a former TV news anchor who is in her third term representing Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, which covers the northeastern portion of the state, is planning on running to succeed Ernst, multiple sources confirm to Fox News.
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Iowa was once a top battleground state that former President Barack Obama carried in his 2008 and 2012 White House victories. But the state has shifted to the right in recent election cycles, with President Donald Trump carrying the state by eight points in 2020 and by 13 points last November.
Republicans currently hold both of the state's U.S. Senate seats – Ernst and longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley – and all four of Iowa's congressional districts, as well as all statewide offices except for state auditor, which is held by Democrat Rob Sand, who's running for governor next year.
But Democrats in Iowa are energized after flipping two GOP-held state Senate seats in special elections so far this year.
Demonstrators calling for preservation of Medicaid funding, are removed from the House Energy and Commerce markup of the FY2025 budget resolution in Rayburn building on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Republicans are aiming to not only defend, but expand, the current 53-47 Senate majority in next year's elections.
Senate Republicans enjoyed a favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they flipped four seats from blue to red to win back the majority.
But the party in power—clearly the Republicans right now—traditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, a current read of the 2026 map indicates the GOP may be able to go on offense in some key states.
In battleground Georgia, which Trump narrowly carried in last year's White House race, Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat incumbent up for re-election next year.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during a signing ceremony for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4, 2025. ( Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
They're also targeting battleground Michigan, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring at the end of next year, and swing state New Hampshire, where longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen decided against seeking a fourth six-year term in the Senate.
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Also on the NRSC's target list is blue-leaning Minnesota, where Democratic Sen. Tina Smith isn't running for re-election.
But the GOP is defending an open seat in battleground North Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tills decided against seeking re-election.
Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-sen-joni-ernst-wont-seek-re-election-iowa-next-year-sources