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WATCH: Woman who confronted Joni Ernst at town hall reacts to viral response

By Amie Rivers

June 6, 2025

At a Parkersburg town hall, Senator Joni Ernst faced fierce pushback as she defended the Trump Administration’s cuts to Medicaid. India May was in the audience when she shouted at Ernst that “people will die” if kicked off Medicaid. Ernst responded, “Well, we all are going to die.” The exchange went viral and prompted an equally tone-deaf apology video from Ernst the next day.

On the latest episode of Cornhole Champions, Amie sat down with May to talk Ernst’s response, Iowa’s health care crisis, and May’s campaign for Iowa House in 2026.

Watch the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsJtzmNlfbo&t=3s

  • Amie Rivers

    Amie Rivers is Iowa Starting Line's newsletter editor. She writes the weekly Worker’s Almanac edition of Iowa Starting Line, featuring a roundup of the worker news you need to know. Previously, she was an award-winning journalist at the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier; now, she very much enjoys making TikToks and memes and getting pet photos in her inbox.

    Have a story tip? Reach Amie at [email protected]. For local reporting in Iowa that connects the dots, from policy to people, sign up for Amie's newsletter.

    View all posts

CATEGORIES: POLITICS VIDEO

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