Photo courtesy of the Office of Rep. Ashley Hinson
By BallotWire
2025
WASHINGTON — September 2, 2025 — Rep. Ashley Hinson announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate in 2026, launching her campaign just hours after Sen. Joni Ernst confirmed she would not pursue reelection. Hinson, who represents Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, cast herself as a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and pledged to advance his “America First” agenda in the Senate.
Her entry immediately reshaped the contours of the Iowa race, transforming what had been considered a safe Republican hold into one of the most closely watched contests of the 2026 election cycle. Hinson, 42, declared her candidacy through social media posts outlining a platform centered on border security and cutting taxes. “I’m all in,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “I’m running for the United States Senate to fight alongside President Trump and deliver on the America First agenda.”
A former television news anchor in Cedar Rapids, Hinson began her political career in the Iowa House of Representatives before winning her first term in Congress in 2020. Following redistricting in 2022, she shifted to represent Iowa’s 2nd District and won reelection in 2024 with 57 percent of the vote. With Ernst stepping aside, Republicans must now defend an open Senate seat in Iowa while protecting incumbents across the map. The GOP holds only a narrow majority in the chamber, and the Iowa contest could prove decisive in determining control of the Senate.
The Republican primary is still taking shape. Former state senator Jim Carlin and veteran Joshua Smith had already declared campaigns before Ernst’s announcement, ensuring Hinson would not go unchallenged. Still, her higher profile, established fundraising network, and statewide recognition are expected to make her an early frontrunner.
Democrats, meanwhile, see Ernst’s retirement and Hinson’s candidacy as a potential opening in a state where they have struggled in recent years. State senator Zach Wahls, state representative Josh Turek, and Des Moines School Board chair Jackie Norris are among the Democrats who have entered the race, positioning themselves to capitalize on an open-seat opportunity.
Republicans have enjoyed a string of successes in Iowa statewide elections. In 2024, Trump carried the state by nearly 13 points, underscoring the GOP’s dominance in presidential contests. Two years earlier, longtime Senator Chuck Grassley secured an eighth term, defeating Democrat Michael Franken by 12 points in what proved to be the most competitive Senate race of his career.
As the 2026 campaign takes shape, Iowa is once again poised to occupy a central role on the national political map. Hinson’s bid ensures that the state’s Senate race will be a critical one to watch for the control of Congress.