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WATCH: How Joni Ernst’s ‘cruelty’ nudged JD Scholten toward a Senate run

By Amie Rivers

June 5, 2025
US Sen. Joni Ernst’s viral moment last weekend also helped launch her opponent’s campaign. State Rep. JD Scholten, a Democrat from Sioux City, is running in 2026.
  • Amie Rivers

    Amie Rivers is Starting Line's community editor, labor reporter and newsletter snarker-in-chief. Previously, she was an award-winning journalist at the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier; now, she very much enjoys making TikToks and memes. Send all story tips and pet photos to [email protected] and sign up for our newsletter here.

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CATEGORIES: POLITICS VIDEO

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WATCH: Zach Wahls: ‘We’re All Going to Die’ Isn’t a Healthcare Plan (PT 4) – Cornhole Champions #28

WATCH: Zach Wahls: ‘We’re All Going to Die’ Isn’t a Healthcare Plan (PT 4) – Cornhole Champions #28

Iowa State Senator Zach Wahls officially launched his 2026 U.S. Senate campaign, taking aim at Joni Ernst and calling for a new generation of leadership to challenge Washington’s failed establishment. Wahls, known for his viral 2011 testimony supporting his two moms’ marriage rights, is positioning himself as a champion for working-class Iowans struggling with housing costs, healthcare access, and an economy “rigged to benefit those at the very top.”

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with Wahls to discuss his campaign launch, his work protecting mobile home residents from predatory private equity firms, and why he believes Democrats need to stop “looking down on voters” and start meeting them where they are. We explore Wahls’ critique of political corruption in Des Moines, his push for term limits and stock trading bans, and Ernst’s tone-deaf “we’re all going to die” healthcare comment that’s already becoming campaign fodder.

Also, an overview of Iowa’s 2026 Senate race. The dangers of corporate Pride. Perry’s second chance.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

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– YouTube – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2LsUFhizO07jdk5Wav4mOT7tArltF8z5&si=FryZd7N7tG5tJ5Ju
– Substack – https://cornholechampions.substack.com/
– Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cornhole-champions-podcast/id1779497714
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– PocketCasts – https://pca.st/74atty1j
… and everywhere you listen to podcasts

*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 – Cornhole Champions Introduction – Zach Wahls Senate Campaign Launch
00:19 – Interview Begins – State Senator Zach Wahls Joins from Coralville/Iowa City
00:30 – Democratic Messaging Strategy – Reconnecting with Working Class Voters Post-2024
00:52 – Wahls’ Campaign Platform – Economy Rigged Against Hardworking Iowans
01:30 – Personal Examples – Daycare Costs and Mobile Home Community Challenges
02:00 – Democratic Party Critique – Too Many Know-It-All Attitudes Toward Voters
02:28 – Housing Affordability Crisis – Mobile Home Parks and Private Equity Takeovers
03:20 – Bipartisan Mobile Home Legislation – 30 Senators Supporting Tenant Protections
04:00 – Political Corruption Problem – Special Interest Money Blocking Bipartisan Solutions
04:29 – Next 50 Organization – Bringing New Generation Leadership to Politics
05:00 – Challenging the Establishment – Taking on Both Parties’ Failed Leadership
05:30 – Reform Agenda – Term Limits and Stock Trading Bans for Political Insiders
06:10 – Iowa Democrats’ Electoral Challenges – No Federal Wins Since 2018
06:30 – Recent Special Election Successes – Three Consecutive Democratic Overperformances
06:48 – Joni Ernst’s Healthcare Gaffe – “We’re All Going to Die” Comment
07:15 – Republican Healthcare Plan Critique – Waiting for Constituents to Die
07:30 – 99-County Strategy – Meeting Voters Through Grassroots Organizing
08:00 – Campaign Capacity Building – Voter Registration and GOTV Operations
08:34 – Grassroots Campaign Strategy – Taking on Washington’s Failed Establishment
09:04 – Campaign Website Plug – ZachWahls.com for More Information
09:21 – Interview Wrap-Up – Thanks to State Senator Zach Wahls
09:30 – Show Conclusion – Subscribe and Newsletter Information

*Follow Zachary Oren Smith on social media:*
– Twitter – https://x.com/zacharyos
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WATCH: Can JBS Foods replace what Tyson took? 500 jobs come to Perry, Iowa (PT 2) – Cornhole Champions #28

WATCH: Can JBS Foods replace what Tyson took? 500 jobs come to Perry, Iowa (PT 2) – Cornhole Champions #28

Brazilian meat giant JBS is bringing 500 jobs back to Perry, Iowa, right where Tyson Foods pulled out. The $135 million sausage production facility offers hope to a community still reeling from the loss of 1,300 Tyson jobs, but questions remain about whether this corporate giant can deliver long-term stability.

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Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

*LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO CORNHOLE CHAMPIONS:*
– YouTube – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2LsUFhizO07jdk5Wav4mOT7tArltF8z5&si=FryZd7N7tG5tJ5Ju
– Substack – https://cornholechampions.substack.com/
– Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cornhole-champions-podcast/id1779497714
– Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5rzNpiA4IwgLmxbyrhETY6?si=6c4a527fa9ad4f64
– PocketCasts – https://pca.st/74atty1j
… and everywhere you listen to podcasts

*SHOW RUNDOWN*
00:00 – JBS Announces $135 Million Sausage Plant in Perry, Iowa
00:52 – Economic Impact Analysis – 500 New Jobs vs 1,300 Lost Tyson Positions
01:58 – Long-term Sustainability Concerns with JBS Employment History
02:44 – Union Victory – UFCW Wins Back Pensions at JBS Facilities
03:13 – Construction Timeline – Fall 2024 Start, Late 2026 Production
03:30 – Perry Shooting Timeline Context
03:35 – Episode Break

*Follow Zachary Oren Smith on social media:*
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WATCH: Zach Wahls, JD Scholten, Nathan Sage and the race against Joni Ernst (PT 1) – Cornhole Champions #28

WATCH: Zach Wahls, JD Scholten, Nathan Sage and the race against Joni Ernst (PT 1) – Cornhole Champions #28

Tthree Democrats have officially entered the race to challenge Joni Ernst’s Senate seat in 2026, setting up what could be Iowa’s most consequential election in years.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amy Rivers, and Avery Staker break down the growing field of Senate candidates – from Zach Wahls’ viral 2011 gay marriage testimony to JD Scholten’s anti-monopoly crusade and Nathan Sage’s f-bomb-filled populist campaign. We also explore Ernst’s vulnerabilities, from her “we’re all going to die” healthcare gaffe to her flip-flop on the Hegseth nomination after MAGA pressure.

Also, the dangers of corporate Pride. Perry’s second chance. And a one-on-one with Wahls.

*LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO CORNHOLE CHAMPIONS:*
– YouTube – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2LsUFhizO07jdk5Wav4mOT7tArltF8z5&si=FryZd7N7tG5tJ5Ju
– Substack – https://cornholechampions.substack.com/
– Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cornhole-champions-podcast/id1779497714
– Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5rzNpiA4IwgLmxbyrhETY6?si=6c4a527fa9ad4f64
– PocketCasts – https://pca.st/74atty1j
… and everywhere you listen to podcasts

SHOW RUNDOWN:
00:00 – Relay Iowa Recap – Zach’s 339-Mile Van Driving “Heroics” Across the State
02:35 – 2026 Senate Race Preview – Why This Six-Year Term Matters for Iowa
03:35 – Senate Power Structure – 100 Senators vs 435 House Members and Iowa’s Outsized Voice
04:00 – Farm Bill Influence – Grassley and Ernst’s Agriculture Committee Roles
06:30 – Joni Ernst’s Background – From Montgomery County Auditor to “Make Them Squeal”
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08:30 – Ernst’s Voting Record – COVID Relief Opposition and Voting Restrictions
09:25 – “We’re All Going to Die” – Ernst’s Callous Healthcare Response
09:30 – The Hegseth Flip-Flop – Ernst Caves to MAGA Pressure on Defense Secretary
12:00 – Term Limits Hypocrisy – Ernst’s 2014 Promise vs 2026 Campaign Reality
13:30 – Jim Carlin’s Primary Challenge – The “America First” Conservative vs “DC Joni”
16:30 – Zach Wahls Enters the Race – From 2011 Viral Speech to Senate Campaign
17:00 – Wahls’ Gay Marriage Testimony – Defending Two Moms in Iowa Legislature
21:00 – JD Scholten’s Anti-Monopoly Message – Baseball Player Turned Economic Populist
24:30 – Nathan Sage’s F-Bomb Campaign – Marine Veteran’s Working Class Appeal
26:30 – Sage’s Profanity Strategy – Every Press Release Needs an F-Bomb
29:00 – Trans Rights Debate – Avery’s Concerns About Economic vs Social Issue Priorities
30:00 – The Civil Rights Reality Check – Housing Protections vs Sports Distractions

*Follow Zachary Oren Smith on social media:*
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