Ernst, a former Army National Guard member and a retired lieutenant colonel, was first elected to an open Senate seat in 2014.

Democrats still face an uphill fight to win in Iowa and retake the majority in the closely divided Senate.

Ernst, a former Army National Guard member and a retired lieutenant colonel, was first elected to an open Senate seat in 2014.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, will not seek re-election when her term ends next year. Democrats have already joined the race to become her replacement in the Senate.

Reports about the Iowa senator's retirement allowed her critics to repost the callous remarks she made about Medicaid cuts at a town hall earlier this year.