Joni Ernst joins Ashley Hinson in Glenwood to back Senate bid to succeed her
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst joined Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson in Glenwood on Wednesday to campaign for Hinson’s bid to succeed her, telling supporters that Iowa needs to keep its Senate seat in Republican hands.
Ernst, who is retiring at the end of her term, stood alongside and endorsed Hinson at the Bloom Senior Center as the two talked with attendees and made their case for the Nov. 3 election.
“I didn’t have to think but a second to know that Ashley Hinson was the person that I truly hoped would follow me into the United States Senate,” Ernst said.
Hinson focused much of her remarks on the cost of living, saying families have been priced out of the American dream. She said she wants to bring down healthcare costs and make homeownership more attainable.
“I think that there are a lot of Iowans who have been priced out of the American dream,” Hinson told The Nonpareil in an interview after the event. “That’s what I’m really focused on restoring.”
Clockwise from left, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Hinson are greeted by 5-year-old twin sisters Macie and Vienna Rockwell of Pacific Junction during a campaign stop at Bloom Senior Center in Glenwood on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.
Hinson also criticized her Democratic opponent, Josh Turek, over his record on immigration and agriculture, saying his positions are too liberal for Iowa. Turek has defended his record by pointing to bipartisan work in the Iowa House.
Hinson said she would push to make tax cuts for working families permanent if elected, including provisions eliminating federal taxes on tips and overtime. She also called for holding health insurers accountable and addressing the role of pharmacy benefit managers in prescription drug prices.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst stumped for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Hinson during a campaign stop in Glenwood on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.
Ernst says Senate control is at stake
Ernst urged supporters to help Hinson win, saying the outcome could determine which party controls the Senate. She said she wants Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota to remain majority leader instead of Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York.
“We’re going to fight to keep Republicans in the majority of the United States Senate,” Ernst said.
Ernst said Hinson’s experience as a journalist and member of Congress would help her explain Iowa’s concerns to lawmakers from other states, particularly on agriculture and rural issues.
“She’s able to communicate really the challenges that Iowans face every single day to those in other states that maybe don’t experience those same things,” Ernst told The Nonpareil.
Hinson also addressed rural healthcare, pointing to federal funding she said would provide $209 million for Iowa rural hospitals and clinics through the Rural Health Transformation Fund.
Hinson said the state needs to make sure rural medical providers can continue serving their communities while working to lower costs for patients.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst stumped for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Hinson during a campaign stop in Glenwood on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026…
Ernst looks toward spending time with family
Ernst said her decision not to seek another term came down to spending more time with her family. Her aging parents need more care, she said, and she is expecting a granddaughter "any day now."
“Family is coming first right now in my career,” Ernst told The Nonpareil. “I have aging parents that need a lot more assistance right now, and I have a grandbaby that is on the way very, very soon.”
Ernst, a former Montgomery County auditor and Iowa state senator, called serving Iowans one of the greatest honors of her life. She said she believes Hinson would continue to put Iowa’s interests first in Washington.
Both Republicans encouraged supporters to vote before Election Day or on Nov. 3 and to urge others to do the same.
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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Hinson visited Bloom Senior Center in Glenwood with U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. …
