Contact
260 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510
Campaign Finance (2026)
Funding Sources
Top Industries
Source: FEC · 2026 cycle
About
Joni Ernst is a Republican U.S. Senator from Iowa and a retired military officer who served as a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard.
Background
Born Joni Kay Culver in Montgomery County, Iowa, she graduated as valedictorian from Stanton High School before earning a bachelor's degree in psychology from Iowa State University and a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University. She served 23 years in the Army Reserve and the Iowa Army National Guard, retiring as a lieutenant colonel after commanding a transportation company in Kuwait during the Iraq War. Before her time in the state legislature, she worked in local government as the auditor of Montgomery County.
Political career
Ernst began her political career as the auditor of Montgomery County before being elected to the Iowa State Senate in 2011. A member of the Republican Party, she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014 and was sworn in as Iowa's junior senator in 2015. She won reelection in 2020 and served as the chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee from 2023 to 2025.
Current focus
Ernst, Joni represents the state of IA in the U.S. Senate. Ernst, Joni currently serves on the Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs, the Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology, and the Cybersecurity. They have sponsored 237 bills in the current Senate, including S. 4505; S. 4447; S. 4378.
Committee Assignments
119th Congress
- Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs
- Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology
- Cybersecurity
- Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census
- Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesChair
- Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Food Safety
- Personnel
- Rural Development, Energy, and CreditChair
- Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
- Senate Committee on Armed Services
- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Senate Committee on Small Business and EntrepreneurshipChair
118th Congress
- Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs
- Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology
- Cybersecurity
- Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census
- Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesChair
- Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Food Safety
- Personnel
- Rural Development, Energy, and CreditChair
- Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
- Senate Committee on Armed Services
- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Senate Committee on Small Business and EntrepreneurshipChair
Legislative Activity
237
Bills Sponsored
10
Recent Votes