Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) will not seek re-election in the 2026 midterms, multiple outlets report. The Republican legislator reportedly will make an official announcement next week. BREAKING: Iowa GOP Senator JONI ERNST will NOT run for reelection in 2026, per CBS. This opens up the primary for MAGA to thrust a new candidate into the seat… pic.twitter.com/7vSqYj5aGk — Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 29, 2025 Newsweek noted: Ernst, 55, was first elected to the Senate in 2014. Republicans currently control the chamber by a 53-47 margin. Ernst trailed Democratic state Senator Zach Wahls and was held to a tight race against other Democratic candidates in a new internal poll of the Iowa Senate race from Wahls’ campaign. According to CBS News, White House officials hoped Ernst would seek re-election instead of leaving the Senate.  BREAKING: Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa won't seek reelection to Senate in 2026, sources say. https://t.co/zxvHoZGFPB — CBS News (@CBSNews) August 29, 2025 CBS News explained: Some Iowa Democrats have already jumped into the race, including state Sen. Zach Wahls, state Rep. Josh Turek, and Des Moines School Board chairwoman Jackie Norris. Ernst has been evasive about whether she would run for a third term in 2026, but in public remarks earlier this month, predicted continued GOP control of Iowa. “Every day we get a new Democratic member of the House or Senate that decides to run for this Senate seat — bring it on,” she said at a meeting of the Westside Conservative Club. “Bring it on, folks. Because I tell you, at the end of the day, Iowa is going to be red.” White House officials had hoped Ernst would run again, instead of joining other Republicans who are leaving the Senate, including North Carolina’s Thom Tillis, Alabama’s Tommy Tuberville and Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell. GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee announced a run for governor but her Senate term does not expire until 2030. Ernst has told people close to her that she intended to serve only two terms, she has accomplished what she set out to do, and intends to head to the private sector, one of the sources said.