Republican Senator Joni Ernst faced significant criticism after her recent comments at a town hall meeting in Iowa, where she addressed constituents’ concerns regarding Medicaid cuts. Responding to concerns about the real world effects such cuts would have, Ernst said, “Well, we all are going to die. This drew audible groans from the audience. Instead, many took it as an affront that downplayed their well-founded fears and sparked further opposition.
Ernst was responding directly to Lind, and she wanted to reassure her constituents. She reiterated that Republicans would focus on protecting the most vulnerable—notably those eligible for Medicaid. Her comments were quickly condemned, forcing some to wonder how out of touch she might be about the struggles everyday Iowans are facing. More than one in five Iowans rely on Medicaid for coverage. The Kaiser Family Foundation finds that almost half of all nursing home residents in the state depend on this critical program.
In an attempt at damage control a few days later, Ernst said she was sorry for her “test run.” “I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth,” she stated. Further addressing the situation, she said, “So I apologize, and I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well.”
That political activism has become particularly controversial following the absence of gun convicts in her comment, at a politically fraught moment for Ernst’s 2026 re-election bid. Iowa Democratic State Senator JD Scholten has already made his campaign official to unseat Joni Ernst. In his statement, Sorensen condemned Ernst for displaying “disrespect” to Iowa’s people. Scholten continued, “Joni Ernst turned her back on the people of Iowa.” He focused on the discrepancies between the senator’s statements and the concerns of her constituents.
Adding to the highly contentious atmosphere, Ernst has seen attacks by members of her own party. In December, Virginia conservatives came out hard against her, labelling her a “RINO” (Republican In Name Only). They got mad when she delayed the confirmation of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. This argument underscores a growing division within Republicans. They have a hard time balancing long term health care policy objectives with short-term inflexible voter opinion.
The White House issued a vigorous defense of this Medicaid legislation just days ago. They followed up with a “mythbuster” statement, calling arguments that the proposed cuts would result in higher mortality rates “one of Democrats’ most revolting lies.” During the rollout of the administration’s reforms, they were repeatedly touted as a way to make Medicaid more effective by cutting waste and serving Americans better.
Despite the backlash, Ernst’s spokesperson reiterated her stance on life’s certainties, stating, “There’s only two certainties in life: death and taxes.” This phrase has since become emblematic of Ernst’s strategy for dealing with well-deserved criticism about her lame comments.
In an unexpected turn, Ernst recently starred in an Instagram video filmed inside a graveyard. He quickly took a defiant tone, mirroring the performative combative nature of the Trump years, countering an ever growing storm of criticism. Her powerful, yet simple, choice of setting and message deepens her connection with enthusiastic supporters. It’s useful for her for one other reason—because it allows her to avoid the backlash from her initial comments.
Given the changing political landscape in Iowa, that is a serious negative. Nevertheless, Ernst will have a stiff challenge on her hands as she seeks to defend her seat in 2026. A huge portion of her constituency relies on Medicaid. It’s equally important for her to respond to their concerns in a tangible way to inform her re-election campaign.