Joni Ernst REPRepublican

Joni Kay Ernst (née Culver; born July 1, 1970) is an American politician and former military officer serving as the junior United States senator from Iowa since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served in the Iowa State Senate from 2011 to 2014 and as auditor of Montgomery County from 2004 to 2011. As Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee since 2023, Ernst is the fourth-ranking Republican in the Senate. After graduating from Iowa State University, Ernst joined the United States Army Reserve. She served in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1993 to 2015, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. During the Iraq War, she served as the commanding officer of the 1168th Transportation Company in Kuwait and later commanded the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Camp Dodge, the Iowa Army National Guard's largest battalion. Ernst also holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University.In 2004, Ernst was elected Montgomery County Auditor. She was reelected in 2008. In 2011, Ernst was elected to the Iowa State Senate in a special election and reelected in 2012. She represented District 12, in southwestern Iowa.