Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst secured a second term on Tuesday night after a long-fought race against Theresa Greenfield that kept people guessing which way this swing state would break.
The Associated Press called the race at 11:37 p.m. for Ernst. The senator leads Greenfield 51.9% to 45.1%.
Ernst, the outsider candidate in 2014 who rode a red wave to victory, coming into 2020, was seen as a rising star in the Republican Party. In 2015 she delivered the Republican response to then-president Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, and was in consideration by Donald Trump in 2016 to be his running mate. In 2017, she was elected to a leadership position within the Republican caucus.
Ernst enjoyed a 57% approval rating in February 2019, according to the Des Moines Register Iowa Poll, but when Ernst officially kicked off her 2020 campaign with the Roast and Ride in June 2019 and Democrats entered the fray to take her on, her popularity began to trickle down. Once Democrats felt more confident about their chances of taking back the Senate, money started pouring into Iowa, making it the second-most expensive Senate race in the country.
Though Democrats were optimistic coming into Election Day, Greenfield did not run up large enough margins in the state’s largest counties or win back some of the coveted Mississippi River counties that used to be pivotal to statewide wins for Democrats.
The Iowa Poll released on Saturday showed Ernst leading Greenfield by 4 percentage points — the first time of the cycle she led the poll in a matchup with Greenfield. At campaign events over the weekend, Republicans were giddy with news of Ernst and Trump’s lead in Iowa heading into Election Day.
Iowa’s election results are unofficial until ballot canvasses are conducted. County officials must hold canvasses in all 99 counties by Nov. 10. The statewide canvass will be completed by Nov. 30 and then the Iowa Executive Council certifies the results. Absentee ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 and received by noon Nov. 9 will be counted.
By Elizabeth Meyer
Posted 11/3/20
Iowa Starting Line is an independently-owned progressive news outlet devoted to providing unique, insightful coverage on Iowa news and politics. We need reader support to continue operating — please donate here. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more coverage.
Politics
6 terrifying things that could happen if the Comstock Act is used to target abortion
Does 1873 sound like a really, really long time ago? Well, that’s because it is—but if Republicans and far-right anti-abortion activists have their...
Iowa parents explain how ‘fetal personhood’ would harm IVF
Lyndi Buckingham-Schutt and her husband Andy Schutt, both Des Moines residents, always knew they wanted to have children. When Lyndi was 30, they...
Local News
No more Kum & Go? New owner Maverik of Utah retiring famous brand
Will Kum & Go have come and gone by next year? One new report claims that's the plan by the store's new owners. The Iowa-based convenience store...
Here’s a recap of the biggest headlines Iowa celebs made In 2023
For these famous Iowans, 2023 was a year of controversy, career highlights, and full-circle moments. Here’s how 2023 went for the following Iowans:...
