Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, announced Tuesday that she will run for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, who is not seeking re-election.
“I’m all in. I’m running for the United States Senate to fight alongside President Trump and deliver on the America First agenda,” Hinson said on X.
“From securing our border and deporting illegal aliens, to keeping men out of girl’s sports and cutting taxes for working families, I will fight every day for Iowans and our conservative values,” she added.
Ernst said earlier Tuesday that she will not seek a third term, citing a need to “give back” to her family in a video on X.
NBC News reported last week that Ernst would not seek re-election.
Hinson has represented the 2nd Congressional District since 2021 after she flipped the Democratic-held House seat in northeastern Iowa, which includes Cedar Rapids. Before that, she was in the state House. Before her public service career, Hinson was a reporter for KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids.
Hinson defeated Democrat Sarah Corkery in last year’s election by more than 15 percentage points.
Several Democrats have already announced bids in the Senate race, including state Rep. Josh Turek, state Sen. Zach Wahls, Des Moines School Board Chairwoman Jackie Norris and Nathan Sage, a Marine and Army veteran.
Hinson’s support for President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill drew jeers during a town hall in her district this year. The legislation that was signed into law extends Trump’s tax cuts from his first term and makes cuts to Medicaid and other assistance programs.
Trump won Iowa with 55.7% of the vote to then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ 42.5% in last year’s election.
