EIGHT NEWS, IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. IOWA SENATOR, REPUBLICAN JONI ERNST CONTINUES TO FACE QUESTIONS ABOUT HER CONTROVERSIAL REMARKS AT A TOWN HALL LAST WEEK. YESTERDAY, ERNST DEFENDED HER COMMENT THAT, QUOTE, WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE. IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT POSSIBLE MEDICAID CUTS, DO YOU CARE TO CLARIFY YOUR COMMENTS FROM THE TOWN HALL LAST WEEK, SENATOR? JUST TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT, VERY COMPASSIONATE. AND YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION. IN RESPONSE TO THE BACKLASH FROM HER TOWN HALL, ERNST POSTED THIS VIDEO TO SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH SHE DID FILM IN A CEMETERY. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING MAJOR CHANGES TO MEDICAID, INCLUDING WORK REQUIREMENTS. THEY ARGUE THE CHANGES ARE NOT CUTS, BUT OPPONENTS SAY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE COULD LOSE COVERAGE. WELL, WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE ANYWAY. SURE THAT’S TRUE. EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY’S GOING TO DIE. BUT THAT’S NOT THE POINT. THE POINT IS THIS BILL IS GOING TO RESULT IN PEOPLE DYING SOONER. AND IOWA BILL ESTABLISHING WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAID
Joni Ernst hires campaign manager, signaling run for reelection in 2026
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Updated: 11:05 AM CDT Jun 4, 2025
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U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst appears to be running for reelection in 2026.Video above: Joni Ernst defends controversial response to Medicaid concernThe two-term senator representing Iowa has not officially announced plans for next year's election, but her campaign announced Wednesday it is hiring Bryan Kraber to lead her 2026 reelection campaign."I'm thrilled to have Bryan Kraber leading my re-election campaign," Ernst said in a news release announcing the hire. "A native Iowan, Bryan knows our state, he knows how to win, and he's ready to hit the ground running. His experience, energy, and grit will be an incredible asset as we fight for Iowans in the U.S. Senate."Kraber also worked on Ernst's 2020 campaign, which she won by more than 6 percentage points.On the Democratic side, Iowa Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, has announced his bid for Ernst's Senate seat. Scholten launched his campaign earlier this week in the wake of a controversial comment from Ernst at a town hall in Parkersburg, where she responded to a claim about residents dying from possible Medicaid cuts by saying, "Well, we all are going to die."» Subscribe to vlog's YouTube page» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst appears to be running for reelection in 2026.
Video above: Joni Ernst defends controversial response to Medicaid concern
The two-term senator representing Iowa has not officially announced plans for next year's election, but her campaign announced Wednesday it is hiring Bryan Kraber to lead her 2026 reelection campaign.
"I'm thrilled to have Bryan Kraber leading my re-election campaign," Ernst said in a news release announcing the hire. "A native Iowan, Bryan knows our state, he knows how to win, and he's ready to hit the ground running. His experience, energy, and grit will be an incredible asset as we fight for Iowans in the U.S. Senate."
Kraber also worked on Ernst's 2020 campaign, which she won by more than 6 percentage points.
On the Democratic side, Iowa Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, has announced his bid for Ernst's Senate seat. Scholten launched his campaign earlier this week in the wake of a controversial comment from Ernst at a town hall in Parkersburg, where she responded to a claim about residents dying from possible Medicaid cuts by saying, "Well, we all are going to die."
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