Difference between revisions 135601583 and 135601584 on dewiki

{{Infobox Officeholder
|name         = Joni Ernst
|image=Joni Ernst - Official Portrait - 84th GA.jpg
|state_senate = Iowa
|district     = 12th
|term_start   = January 2011
|term_end     = 
|predecessor  = [[Kim Reynolds]]
|successor    = 
|birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1970|7|1}}
|birth_place  = [[Red Oak, Iowa|Red Oak]], [[Iowa]], [[United States|U.S.]]
|death_date   = 
|death_place  = 
|party        = [[Republican Party of Iowa|Republican]]
|spouse       = Gail Ernst
|alma_mater   = [[Iowa State University]]<br>[[Columbus State University]]
|religion     = [[Christianity]]
|website      = http://www.joniforiowa.com
}}
'''Joni Ernst''' (born July 1, 1970, [[Red Oak]], [[Iowa]]) is an American politician who serves as a [[Republican Party of Iowa|Republican]] state smember of the [[Iowa Senatore]] and las as a Lieutenant cColonel in the [[Iowa Army National Guard]], and. She is a candidate for the US Sena[[Unite.d She was endorsed by Governor [[Mitt Romney]] and then by Governor [[Sarah Palin]], among others.

Ernst served as a company commander during  [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] in 2003 where her unit was sent to run convoys through [[Kuwait]] and southern Iraq. Ernst continues to serve as a lieutenant colonel in the [[Iowa Army National Guard]], leading the largest battalion in [[Iowatates Senate]] from Iowa in the [[United States Senate election in Iowa, 2014|2014 election]].

==Career==
Before being elected to the sState sSenate, Ernst was elected the [[Montgomery County, Iowa|Montgomery County]] Auditor in 2004 and re-elected in 2008.

Ernst was elected to the [[Iowa Senate]] in a special election in 2011 and re-elected in 2012. She represents District 12, which serves the southwest part of the state.<ref name="JoniErnst">{{cite web|url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/Legislators/legislator.aspx?GA=85&PID=11232|title=The Iowa Legislature: Senator Joni Ernst|accessdate=2013-05-06}}</ref><ref name="(contracted; show full)

Ernst has served a combined 21 years in the [[United States Army Reserves]] and the [[Iowa Army National Guard]]. She spent 14 months mobilized and overseas in [[Kuwait]] from 2003-2004 as a company commander at the start of [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]].<ref name="JoniErnst"/><ref name="votesmart"/> Her unit was responsible for running logistical convoys in Kuwait and into southern Iraq. A L
ieutenant. Colonel, Ernst currently commands the largest battalion in the [[Iowa Army National Guard]].

In 2014, Ernst was asked why she had missed more than half of the votes in the legislative session. Ernst said that she was "juggling roles as a wife and mother, battalion commander in the Iowa Army National Guard, a state senator and a very, very tough competitive race for the United States Senate".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://thegazette.com/2014/03/05/iowa-sen-ernst-juggles-busy-schedule-with-sen(contracted; show full)[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Montgomery County, Iowa]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:United States Army reservists]]
[[Category:Women in the United States Army]]
[[Category:Women state legislators in Iowa]]
[[Category:Iowa State University alumni]]
[[Category:Columbus State University alumni]]