SouthernWorldwide.com – Republican Representative Ashley Hinson of Iowa has secured the Republican Party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate. She will be running to fill the seat of retiring Republican Senator Joni Ernst.
Hinson, who previously worked as a television news anchor, is currently serving her third term representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. The Associated Press reported that she defeated former state senator and previous U.S. Senate candidate Jim Carlin in the Republican Senate primary.
This seat, currently held by a Republican, is a significant target for the Democratic Party. The race is among approximately a dozen critical contests in this year’s midterm elections that will determine whether Republicans maintain their current 53-47 majority in the Senate.
Hinson received endorsements from prominent figures including President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Senator John Thune, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which serves as the campaign arm for Senate Republicans. Senator Joni Ernst also endorsed Hinson as she advanced to secure the party’s nomination. Hinson, who successfully flipped a Democratic-held seat covering northeastern Iowa in 2020, is considered a rising star within the Republican Party.
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“It has been working Iowans from all 99 counties – and I’ve visited every single one of them – who powered this campaign and delivered a resounding victory tonight,” Hinson stated in a press release shortly after her victory was announced.
She further emphasized her commitment, saying, “We’re going to continue fighting every day to make life more affordable for Iowa families, to take on Big Pharma and Big Health Insurance, and to root out corruption in Washington by banning Members of Congress and their spouses from trading stocks and participating in prediction markets.”
Iowa was once a key swing state, with former President Barack Obama winning it in his 2008 and 2012 presidential victories. However, the state has trended Republican in recent election cycles. Trump won Iowa by nine points in 2016, eight points in 2020, and by 13 points in November 2024.
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Republicans currently hold both of Iowa’s Senate seats, occupied by Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley. They also hold all four of Iowa’s congressional districts and all statewide offices with the exception of the state auditor position.
Despite this, Democrats are showing increased enthusiasm heading into the midterm elections. As the party in power, the GOP is expected to face traditional headwinds, exacerbated by a challenging political climate. Factors contributing to this include persistent inflation and high gas prices, which polls indicate are linked to an unpopular war with Iran and declining approval ratings for former President Trump.
Iowa Democrats, in particular, are feeling energized after successfully flipping two Republican-held state Senate seats in special elections last year.
Hinson is set to face the winner of a closely contested and expensive Democratic Senate primary in the general election. The primary is between state Representative Josh Turek, a Paralympian, and state Senator Zach Wahls.
Wahls, a progressive candidate whom Republicans have compared to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, has received the endorsement of Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Turek, a more moderate contender, who successfully flipped a Republican-held Iowa House seat in 2022, is backed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Hinson aims to succeed Senator Joni Ernst, a retired Army Reserve and Iowa National Guard officer who served in the Iraq War. Ernst was first elected to the Senate in 2014.
Ernst gained significant national attention during her 2014 campaign with her “make ’em squeal” advertisements, as she won the high-profile Senate election to replace the long-serving Democratic Senator Tom Harkin, who was retiring.
