2026 United States Senate election in Iowa
The 2026 United States Senate election in Iowa will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Iowa. Primary elections will be held on June 2, 2026. Two-term Republican Joni Ernst, who was re-elected in 2020 with 51.8% of the vote, declined to seek reelection to a third term.
Background
Since voting for President Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012, Iowa has trended increasingly Republican and is now considered a moderately to strongly red state at the federal and state level. Republican nominee Donald Trump won Iowa in 2020 by 8 percentage points, and in 2024 grew his margin to 13 percentage points. Republicans control every statewide executive office, majorities in both chambers of the state legislature, and the entire congressional delegation.Senator Joni Ernst was first elected in the red wave of 2014, defeating U.S. Representative Bruce Braley by about 8 percentage points. She was re-elected in 2020 defeating Theresa Greenfield by 6.5 percentage points in what was expected to be a dead heat.
In May 2025, Ernst sparked controversy after replying to a constituent upset by thousands of preventable deaths resulting from Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by responding, "Well, we all are going to die" during a town hall in north-central Iowa. She later doubled down on her controversial comment in a social media video filmed in a cemetery. Ernst announced in September 2025 that she would not seek reelection.
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Jim Carlin, former state senator from the 3rd district and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022
- Ashley Hinson, U.S. Representative from
- Joshua Smith, former vice chair of the Libertarian National Committee and Libertarian candidate for president in 2024
Filed paperwork
- John Berman
Potential
- Matthew Whitaker, U.S. Ambassador to NATO, acting United States Attorney General, nominee for state treasurer in 2002, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014
Declined
- Brenna Bird, Attorney General of Iowa '
- Joni Ernst, incumbent U.S. Senator '
- Kari Lake, senior advisor to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, nominee for Governor of Arizona in 2022, and nominee for U.S. Senate in Arizona in 2024
- Zach Nunn, U.S. Representative from ''''
Fundraising
Italics indicate a declined candidate.Polling
Joni Ernst vs. "Someone Else"| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Joni Ernst | Someone Else | Undecided |
| Victory Insights | December 6–7, 2024 | 600 | – | 48% | 27% | 26% |
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Bob Krause, former state representative from the 7th district and perennial candidate
- Nathan Sage, market director for KNIA
- Richard Sherzan, former state representative from the 63rd district and candidate for U.S. Senate in Arizona in 2016 and 2018
- Josh Turek, state representative from the 20th district
- Zach Wahls, state senator from the 43rd district and former Senate Minority Leader
Withdrawn
- Jackie Norris, chair of the Des Moines school board and former Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the United States
- J. D. Scholten, state representative from the 1st district and nominee for in 2018 and 2020 ''''
Declined
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Declared
- Thomas Laehn, Greene County Attorney
General election
Polling
Joni Ernst vs. Jackie Norris| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Joni Ernst | Jackie Norris | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | August 18–19, 2025 | 572 | ± 4.1% | 45% | 42% | 13% |
Joni Ernst vs. Nathan Sage
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Joni Ernst | Nathan Sage | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | August 18–19, 2025 | 572 | ± 4.1% | 45% | 41% | 14% |
Joni Ernst vs. Josh Turek
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Joni Ernst | Josh Turek | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | August 18–19, 2025 | 572 | ± 4.1% | 45% | 41% | 14% |
Joni Ernst vs. Zach Wahls
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Joni Ernst | Zach Wahls | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | August 18–19, 2025 | 572 | ± 4.1% | 43% | 42% | 15% |
Joni Ernst vs. Generic Democrat
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Joni Ernst | Generic Democrat | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | June 2–3, 2025 | 568 | ± 4.1% | 45% | 43% | 12% |