Federal · Iowa · Republican

Joni Ernst

Republican U.S. Senator for Iowa.

Voted further right than 70% of the Senate, based on 887 roll-call votes this Congress.4

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Each tick is a member of the Senate. Scores are DW-NOMINATE, a standard measure computed from every recorded vote by Voteview at UCLA.

On the record

Office
U.S. Senator for Iowa1
Party
Republican1
In this office since
January 6, 20151
Term ends
January 3, 20271
Contact
Official website · 202-224-3254 · X / Twitter · Facebook · YouTube · Instagram1
On the ballot
U.S. Senate, Iowa (2026)3

What they say and what they did

Their stated positions, quoted from their website, next to their record in the 119th Congress (2025–26): bills they sponsored and how they voted on bills' final passage.

  • 87 bills sponsored, 2 became law · 164 cosponsored5
  • Voted on 54 of 56 final votes on bills; missed 26
  • Committees: Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Chairman); Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Senate Committee on Armed Services; Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs2

Economy and jobs

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 11 and cosponsored 18 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 1555: Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act of 2025 Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
  • Sponsored S. 1199: SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act Held at the desk.
  • Sponsored S. 3971: Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act Public Law 119-83
  • Voted Yea on H.R. 228: Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027Bill Passed 90–6, August 8, 20267
  • Voted Yea on H.R. 20: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026Bill Passed 71–29, January 30, 20268
  • Voted Yea on H.R. 11: Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026Bill Passed 82–15, January 15, 20269
  • Voted Yea on H.R. 618: Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026Bill Passed 60–40, November 10, 202510
  • Voted Nay on S.J.Res. 600: A joint resolution terminating the national emergency declared to impose global tariffs.Joint Resolution Passed 51–47, October 30, 202511

Taxes

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 5 and cosponsored 13 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 2100: Modernizing Agricultural and Manufacturing Bonds Act Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
  • Sponsored S. 1436: Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  • Sponsored S. 1427: Audit the IRS Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  • Voted Yea on H.J.Res. 151: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Internal Revenue Service relating to "Gross Proceeds Reporting by Brokers That Regularly Provide Services Effectuating Digital Asset Sales".Joint Resolution Passed 70–28, March 26, 202512
  • Voted Yea on S.J.Res. 102: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Internal Revenue Service relating to "Gross Proceeds Reporting by Brokers That Regularly Provide Services Effectuating Digital Asset Sales".Joint Resolution Passed 70–27, March 4, 202513

Health care

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 4 and cosponsored 19 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 3727: Putting an N to Learing about Fraud Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  • Sponsored S. 1435: Accountability in Foreign Animal Research Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  • Sponsored S. 178: Ensuring Accurate and Complete Abortion Data Reporting Act of 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Immigration

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 5 and cosponsored 10 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 4891: Preventing Fugitive Fraudsters Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Sponsored S. 2650: DOCTORS Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Sponsored S. 1517: BE GONE Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Voted Yea on S. 163: Secure America ActBill Passed 52–47, June 5, 202614
  • Voted Yea on S. 7: Laken Riley ActBill Passed 64–35, January 20, 202515

Abortion

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 2 and cosponsored 3 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 178: Ensuring Accurate and Complete Abortion Data Reporting Act of 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  • Sponsored S. 177: Protect Funding for Women's Health Care Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Guns

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 1 and cosponsored 2 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 1922: FIREARM Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Energy and climate

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 5 and cosponsored 13 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 4892: SMART Energy Efficiency Standards Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  • Sponsored S. 2591: Ethanol for America Act of 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  • Sponsored S. 2421: CLEAR Waters Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  • Voted Yea on H.J.Res. 84: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Public Land Order No. 7917 for Withdrawal of Federal Lands; Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, MN.Joint Resolution Passed 50–49, April 16, 202616
  • Voted Yea on H.J.Res. 632: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision.Joint Resolution Passed 49–45, December 4, 202517
  • Voted Yea on H.J.Res. 623: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Buffalo Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment.Joint Resolution Passed 51–43, November 20, 202518
  • Voted Yea on S.J.Res. 599: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Record of Decision".Joint Resolution Passed 52–45, October 30, 202519
  • Voted Yea on H.J.Res. 560: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to "Central Yukon Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan".Joint Resolution Passed 50–46, October 9, 202520

Education

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 3 and cosponsored 4 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 1070: National STEM Week Act Held at the desk.
  • Sponsored S. 2764: STUDENT Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  • Sponsored S. 469: Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Crime and policing

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 2 and cosponsored 12 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 1922: FIREARM Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Sponsored S. 1502: Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act of 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Voted Yea on S. 127: HALT Fentanyl ActBill Passed 84–16, March 14, 202521

Foreign policy

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 1 and cosponsored 20 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 1490: GHOST Act of 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Voted Yea on H.R. 224: Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026Bill Passed 86–11, August 7, 202622

Social Security and Medicare

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 0 and cosponsored 3 bills on this issue5

Housing

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 1 and cosponsored 0 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 1091: Rural Housing Accessibility Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  • Voted Yea on H.R. 53: 21st Century ROAD to Housing ActBill Passed 89–10, March 12, 202623

Elections and voting

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 32 and cosponsored 13 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 766: Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2025 Public Law 119-120
  • Sponsored S. 5314: No Cash for Cohabitating Kins of Crooks Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  • Sponsored S. 4505: A bill to require the United States Postal Service to designate ZIP Codes for certain communities. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 546.
  • Voted Yea on H.J.Res. 37: Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025.Joint Resolution Passed 49–47, February 12, 202624
  • Voted Nay on S.J.Res. 654: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Policy on Adhering to the Text of the Administrative Procedure Act".Joint Resolution Defeated 50–50, December 18, 202525

Technology and AI

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 3 and cosponsored 5 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 3954: No Lifeline for Dead People Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  • Sponsored S. 3259: RECAPTURE Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  • Sponsored S. 2610: Streamlining Rural Broadband Act of 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  • Voted Yea on S.J.Res. 238: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to "Addressing the Homework Gap Through the E-Rate Program".Joint Resolution Passed 50–38, May 8, 202526

Civil rights

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 0 and cosponsored 2 bills on this issue5

Military and veterans

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 6 and cosponsored 12 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 4789: Blue Star Mothers Day Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Sponsored S. 4685: Ending Double Dealing Act of 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
  • Sponsored S. 4335: HERO Child Care for Military Families Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
  • Voted Not voting on S. 648: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026Motion Agreed to 77–20, December 17, 202527
  • Voted Yea on S. 570: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026Bill Passed 77–20, October 9, 202528

Drugs and addiction

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 0 and cosponsored 1 bills on this issue5
  • Voted Yea on S. 163: Secure America ActBill Passed 52–47, June 5, 202614
  • Voted Yea on S. 127: HALT Fentanyl ActBill Passed 84–16, March 14, 202521

Farms and rural areas

What they say

  • No position found on their website.

What they did

  • Sponsored 8 and cosponsored 10 bills on this issue5
  • Sponsored S. 4940: Specialized Infant Formula Protection Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Sponsored S. 3240: McSCUSE ME Act of 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  • Sponsored S. 2215: Restoring America’s Floodplains Act Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Money: U.S. Senate, Iowa (2026)

As reported to the Federal Election Commission, through June 30, 2026.3

Raised$2.0M
Spent$2.3M
Cash on hand$1.9M
  • From individuals $997K
  • From PACs and other committees $637K
  • Other (transfers, loans, refunds) $368K

Gifts from people, by size29

Small gifts under $200 against the largest checks. People can give up to $3,500 per election.

  • Under $200 40%
  • $200–$499 1%
  • $500–$999 3%
  • $1,000–$1,999 11%
  • $2,000 and up 45%

Top PACs and committees giving directly30

Growth Energy PAC$10,000
Tomorrow Is Meaningful PACConnected to Scott$10,000
Together Holding Our Majority PACConnected to Northeast Senate Victory Committee$10,000
Best At Bringing Entrepreneurial Results Never Imagined Or Envisioned PACConnected to Moreno$10,000
National Restaurant Association PAC (Restaurant PAC)Connected to National Restaurant Association$7,500
Maggie's List$7,000
T-mobile US, Inc. Political Action Committee (T-pac)Connected to T-mobile US, Inc. Political Action Committee (T-pac)$6,500
National Confectioners Association of the United States, Inc. Political Action Committee (Candy PAC)Connected to National Confectioners Association$5,000
Mortgage Bankers Association Political Action Committee (Morpac)Connected to Mortgage Bankers Association$5,000
Norfolk Southern Corporation Good Government FundConnected to Norfolk Southern Corporation$5,000
Ncta - the Internet & Television Association Political Action Committee (Nctapac)$5,000
Union Pacific Corp. Fund for Effective GovernmentConnected to Union Pacific Corp.$5,000
Chevron Employees Political Action Committee - Chevron CorporationConnected to Chevron Corporation$5,000
United Parcel Service, Inc. PAC (Upspac)Connected to United Parcel Service, Inc.$5,000
Nextera Energy, Inc. Political Action CommitteeConnected to Nextera Energy, Inc$5,000

Outside groups spending in this race31

Groups that spent money about this candidate without working with the campaign.

Spent to oppose: $15K

Indivisible Action$15,476

Individual donors

  • $1.4M from 31,054 itemized gifts32
  • 12% came from people in Iowa32
  • 24% came from retired people32
  • Top states: Florida $302K, Iowa $157K, New York $150K, California $118K, Texas $115K32

Where donors work32

Employers as donors wrote them on the form. These are gifts from people who work there, not from the companies.

Route One Inv1 gifts$14,000
Apollo3 gifts$11,000
Apollo Global Management1 gifts$7,000
Apollo Management1 gifts$7,000
Audax1 gifts$7,000
Cumberland Development1 gifts$7,000
Daniels Investment1 gifts$7,000
Elliott Investment Management1 gifts$7,000
Fisher Investments1 gifts$7,000
Mountaire1 gifts$7,000
Pivotal Ventures1 gifts$7,000
Plano 65001 gifts$7,000
US Ai1 gifts$6,600
Edward C Levy20 gifts$6,384
Amber Mountain1 gifts$5,000

Sources

Every number on this page points here. Each one links to the public record.

  1. 1
    Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress: Joni Ernsthttps://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/E000295
    Retrieved October 16, 2026
  2. 2
    congress-legislators, current members (public domain)https://github.com/unitedstates/congress-legislators
    Listed as a source by congress-legislators
  3. 3
    FEC candidate record S4IA00129https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/S4IA00129/
    Retrieved October 16, 2026
  4. 4
    Voteview (UCLA): DW-NOMINATE scores, 119th Congresshttps://voteview.com/data
    Retrieved October 16, 2026 · Free to use with credit
  5. 5
    GovInfo / Congress.gov bill status, 119th Congresshttps://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119
    Retrieved October 15, 2026 · Public domain
  6. 6
    Roll-call votes: Office of the Clerk, U.S. House, and U.S. Senatehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes
    Retrieved October 15, 2026 · Public domain
  7. 7
    On Passage of the Bill
  8. 8
    On Passage of the Bill
  9. 9
    On Passage of the Bill
  10. 10
    On Passage of the Bill
  11. 11
    On the Joint Resolution
  12. 12
    On the Joint Resolution
  13. 13
    On the Joint Resolution
  14. 14
    On Passage of the Bill
  15. 15
    On Passage of the Bill
  16. 16
    On the Joint Resolution
  17. 17
    On the Joint Resolution
  18. 18
    On the Joint Resolution
  19. 19
    On the Joint Resolution
  20. 20
    On the Joint Resolution
  21. 21
    On Passage of the Bill
  22. 22
    On Passage of the Bill
  23. 23
    On Passage of the Bill
  24. 24
    On the Joint Resolution
  25. 25
    On the Joint Resolution
  26. 26
    On the Joint Resolution
  27. 27
    On the Motion
  28. 28
    On Passage of the Bill
  29. 29
    Computed by the FEC · Retrieved October 15, 2026
  30. 30
    Bulk file pas226 · Retrieved October 16, 2026
  31. 31
    FEC: independent expenditures about Joni K Ernst, 2025–26https://www.fec.gov/data/independent-expenditures/?candidate_id=S4IA00129&cycle=2026
    24- and 48-hour notices; amended filings replace the originals · Retrieved October 16, 2026
  32. 32
    Gifts over $200 that campaigns must itemize · Retrieved October 13, 2026