GOP Senators Are Now Leaving The Trump Administration

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On August 29, 2025, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) announced she will not seek re-election in 2026, a decision that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape and fueled speculation about a weakening Republican brand in Iowa.

Ernst, a 55-year-old Iraq War veteran and two-term senator, told confidantes she feels she has accomplished her goals in Congress, prompting her exit.

The move, first reported by CBS News, comes after a series of controversies, including her widely criticized “we’re all going to die” remark at a May 2025 town hall defending Medicaid cuts.

Democrats, eyeing a rare opportunity to flip a Senate seat in the red state, have seized on Ernst’s departure, while critics point to her gaffes and ethical concerns as signs of GOP vulnerability ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Ernst’s Decision and Political Fallout

Ernst’s announcement, expected to be formalized next week, follows months of speculation about her political future.

In July, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) admitted to Politico he was “doing everything I can to encourage her to run,” but Ernst’s lackluster fundraising—$1 million in Q1 2025 compared to stronger hauls in her 2020 campaign—hinted at waning enthusiasm, per Raw Story.

Her decision not to run stunned political observers, with some attributing it to a May 2025 town hall gaffe where she responded to concerns about Medicaid cuts with, “Well, we are all going to die,” a comment that went viral and drew widespread condemnation.

Democratic challengers quickly capitalized on the news.

Iowa state Sen. Zach Wahls, a candidate for Ernst’s seat, posted on X, “Joni Ernst saw the writing on the wall. Iowans are fed up with rising costs and unchecked corruption. And next year, we’re going to flip this seat.”

State Rep. Josh Turek added, “Whether it’s Joni Ernst or someone else, they’ll have to answer for supporting cutting Iowans’ healthcare in favor of a tax break for billionaires.”

A Wahls campaign poll showed Ernst trailing narrowly, boosting Democratic optimism.

Controversies That Defined Ernst’s Tenure

Ernst’s exit follows a series of missteps that damaged her standing.

Her May 2025 town hall comment, followed by a sarcastic “apology” video filmed in a cemetery where she referenced the tooth fairy and Jesus Christ, was called “haunting” by Democratic strategist Mike Nellis and a “head-shaking” moment by CNN anchor Audie Cornish.

Political consultant Laura Packard remarked, “It turns out your constituents don’t like being told ‘well, we’re all going to die’ anyway, as you vote to strip away their health care.”

A March 2025 ProPublica report revealed her romantic relationships with two military officials, including Air Force Maj. Gen. Christopher Finerty, who lobbied her Senate Armed Services Committee, raising conflict-of-interest questions.

Though not against Senate rules, the relationships were deemed “severely problematic” by ethics experts.

Ernst’s spokesperson dismissed the allegations as “slanderous lies,” but the controversy lingered.

Ernst’s flip-flop on supporting Pete Hegseth, Trump’s controversial Defense Secretary nominee, further alienated some voters.

Initially hesitant due to Hegseth’s sexual assault allegations, Ernst faced MAGA backlash, including threats of a primary challenge, before endorsing him in January 2025.

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough mocked her reversal, noting she caved after “an hour and a half of tough times on social media.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) criticized Ernst’s decision as buckling under Trump pressure.

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GOP Challenges and Democratic Hopes

Ernst’s departure, alongside other Republican retirements like Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), signals potential GOP weakness.

Bloomberg News noted that recent congressional ballots favor Democrats.

Iowa, which hasn’t elected a Democrat to a federal statewide office since 2012, is now seen as the “most likely of the unlikely” seats to flip, per NOTUS.

Democratic candidates like Wahls, Turek, and J.D. Scholten, who called Ernst’s Medicaid stance disrespectful, are gearing up.

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) is expected to enter the race on the GOP side.

Economic pressures, including Trump’s tariffs driving inflation, have fueled voter frustration.

Ernst’s support for Trump’s budget bill, which a New York Times fact-check said would cut Medicaid by $600 billion over a decade, became a flashpoint.

Chuck Todd speculated that in a pre-Trump GOP, Ernst might have been a vice-presidential or presidential contender.

Her exit, however, reflects the MAGA-dominated party’s challenges, with critics like Aaron Rupar snarking, “You’re saying that telling your constituents they don’t need healthcare because they’re gonna die anyway isn’t winning politics?.”

As Democrats aim to exploit GOP missteps, Ernst’s departure could reshape Iowa’s Senate race and test Trump’s influence in a state critical to his base.

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