Iowa Democrat to enter race against Ernst following her contentious comments on Medicaid

Rep. JD Scholten, a Democrat from Iowa, has officially announced his challenge against Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), following controversial comments she made at a recent City Hall event.

Reflecting on her remarks over the weekend, Scholten mentioned, “I thought about it for a while, and that’s when I said it. I included it in the official gazette.”

In comments to Politico, he expressed that Ernst’s statement felt disrespectful to Iowans, which motivated him to make his campaign official.

Ernst’s comments, made during a town hall in Butler, Iowa, came after constituents voiced their concerns about proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). She bluntly stated, “Well, we’re all going to die,” in response.

This exchange has drawn swift criticism from Democrats, especially after the House passed a budget resolution that included cuts to both Medicaid and SNAP funding.

The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee responded, stating, “Ernst’s thoughtless remarks leave millions uninsured while Republicans push through significant cuts to Medicaid and vital programs.”

Following negative reactions from the audience, Ernst clarified, “We will protect those who meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.”

She added, “If you don’t want to hear this, that’s okay. I’m saying that those who don’t qualify, but are eligible for benefits elsewhere, should receive those benefits, allowing Medicaid resources to go to those who truly need them.”

Ernst later issued a sarcastic apology in a video, saying, “I mistakenly assumed everyone in the room knew that, yes, we all will eventually pass away.”

Scholten previously ran for a legislative seat in Iowa’s fourth district in 2018 and 2020. He is joining the race for the Senate seat alongside fellow Democrat Nathan Sage, accusing corporate Republicans of neglecting farmers and promising to challenge Ernst in the upcoming midterm elections.

Ernst, seeking a third term, won re-election in 2020 by around seven points against a Democratic opponent. Republicans have historically held Iowa’s Senate seat, and Trump won the state by 13 points in the last election.