Joni Ernst" 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 a [[Republican Party of Iowa|Republican]] state senator and lieutenant colonel in the [[Iowa Army National Guard]], and candidate for the US Senate. 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 [[Iowa]].

==Career==
Before being elected to the state senate, 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="votesmart">{{cite web|url=http://www.joniernst.com/|title=Joni Ernst: Iowa Senate|accessdate=2011-03-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=128583|title=Senator Joni Ernst (IA)|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=2011-03-03}}</ref><ref name="JoniErnstBio">[http://www.joniforiowa.com/bio/ ABOUT JONI], ''Joni Ernst for Iowa''</ref>
In the Iowa Senate, Ernst is a ranking member of the Education Standing Committee, and also serves on the Veteran Affairs, Appropriations, Rules & Administration and Human Resources Standing Committees. Ernst is also a member of the Administration & Regulation Budget Subcommittee.

During the 2013 legislative session, Ernst helped drive legislation which reduced property taxes in Iowa.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 27, 2013 |url=http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/11/26/ernst-payton-speak-at-local-gop-meeting/a8bhvwe/ |title=Ernst, Payton speak at local GOP meeting |publisher=New Daily News |accessdate=2014-04-10}}</ref>  She has also received an A rating from the [[National Rifle Association]] for her support of gun-rights issues.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 26, 2014 |url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20140326/NEWS09/303260074/Sarah-Palin-endorses-Joni-Ernst-in-Iowa-U-S-Senate-race |title=Sirens sound across Iowa as Sarah Palin endorses Joni Ernst |publisher=The Des Moines Register |accessdate=2014-04-16}}</ref>

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 Lt. 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-senate-work/ |title=Iowa Sen. Ernst juggles busy schedule with Senate work |publisher=The Gazette |date=April 1, 2014 |accessdate=April 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://thegazette.com/subject/news/government/iowa/legislature/few-of-ernsts-missed-iowa-senate-votes-due-to-national-guard-duty-20140414 |title=Few of Ernst’s missed Iowa Senate votes due to National Guard Duty |publisher=The Gazette |date=April 14, 2014 |accessdate=April 15, 2014}}</ref>

==2014 U.S. Senate election==
{{See also|United States Senate election in Iowa, 2014}}
In July 2013, Ernst announced that she would seek the Senate seat held by retiring Senator [[Tom Harkin]].  If elected, she would be the first woman from Iowa elected to the U.S. Senate.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hayley |first=Bruce |title=State Sen. Joni Ernst announces run for U.S. Senate in Cedar Rapids |url=http://thegazette.com/2013/07/18/state-sen-joni-ernst-announces-run-for-u-s-senate-in-cedar-rapids/ |accessdate=23 January 2014 |newspaper=The Gazette |date=18 July 2013}}</ref>

Ernst received the official endorsement of Iowa Lieutenant Governor [[Kim Reynolds]] in October 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last=Henderson |first=O. Kay |title=Lieutenant Governor Reynolds endorses Ernst in U.S. Senate race |url=http://www.radioiowa.com/2013/10/07/lieutenant-governor-reynolds-endorses-ernst-in-u-s-senate-race/ |accessdate=23 January 2014 |publisher=Radio Iowa |date=7 October 2013}}</ref> She has also been endorsed by more than 25 current and former legislators across the state of Iowa, along with national organizations such as RightNOW Women PAC, ViewPAC, ShePAC and VOICES of Conservative Women.<ref name="JoniErnstBio"/> She was separately endorsed by former [[Governor of Massachusetts]] [[Mitt Romney]] and former [[List of Governors of Alaska|Governor of Alaska]] [[Sarah Palin]] in March 2014.<ref>Joseph, Cameron. [http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/201798-palin-endorses-joni-ernst-in-iowa Palin endorses Joni Ernst in Iowa Senate race], ''[[Politico]]'', March 26, 2014.</ref>

Ernst received widespread attention for a campaign advert she released in March 2014 where she argued that her experience castrating pigs makes her qualified to cut "[[Pork barrel|pork]]" in Congress.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iowa Senate Candidate Says Castration Gives Her Conservative Cred |url=http://time.com/36955/iowa-senate-candidate-says-castration-gives-her-conservative-cred/ |accessdate=April 15, 2014 |newspaper=Time |date=March 25, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=In Politics, Hog Castration Cuts Through The Ad Clutter |url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2014/03/28/295949340/in-politics-hog-castration-cuts-through-the-ad-clutter |accessdate=April 15, 2014 |newspaper=NPR |date=March 28, 2014}}</ref>

==Personal==
Born and raised in [[Montgomery County, Iowa]], Ernst resides in [[Red Oak, Iowa]] with her husband of 21 years, Gail, a [[Command Sergeant Major]] in the [[United States Army Rangers|Army Rangers]] (retired) and their three daughters.<ref name="JoniErnstBio"/>

Ernst is a member of the Montgomery County Republican Women, [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]] Post 2265 (Life Member), Montgomery County Court of Honor, Altrusa, PEO Chapter HB, [[National Rifle Association]] (Lifetime Member) and the Montgomery County Farm Bureau.<ref name="JoniErnstBio"/>  She is a member of the Mamrelund Lutheran Church ([[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America|ELCA]]) of Stanton, Iowa.<ref name="JoniErnstBio"/>

Ernst is a graduate of [[Iowa State University]] and earned a [[Public administration#Master's degrees|Master's in Public Administration]] from [[Columbus College]].<ref name="JoniErnstBio"/>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.joniforiowa.com/ Joni Ernst for Iowa] ''official campaign site''
*[https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=85&personID=9761 Iowa Legislator - Senator Joni Ernst] ''official Iowa Legislature site''
* {{CongLinks
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| ontheissuespath = Senate/Joni_Ernst.htm 
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{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME              =Ernst, Joni
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American politician
| DATE OF BIRTH     = July 1, 1970
| PLACE OF BIRTH    = Red Oak, Iowa
| DATE OF DEATH     =
| PLACE OF DEATH    =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ernst, Joni}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:American military personnel of the Iraq War]]
[[Category:Iowa Republicans]]
[[Category:Iowa State Senators]]
[[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]]
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