Washington DC (Washington Insider Magazine) —Joni Ernst is a military officer and politician. She served as the junior state senator from Iowa since 2015. Ernst served in the Iowa State Senate from 2011 to 2014. Joni also served as Montgomery County’s auditor from 2004 to 2011.Washington DCJoni Ernst is a military officer and politician. She served as the junior state senator from Iowa since 2015. Ernst served in the Iowa State Senate from 2011 to 2014. Joni also served as Montgomery County’s auditor from 2004 to 2011.
Biography
Joni Kay Ernst was born on July 1, 1970, in Montgomery County, Iowa. Ernst was born as Joni Kay Culver, daughter of Marilyn and Richard Culver. In 1992, she graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Joni is the daughter of the iowa army national guard. She earned a master’s degree in public administration from Columbus State University in 1995. When she was in college, she participated in an agricultural exchange with the Soviet Union.
After graduating from Iowa State University, Ernst joined the United States Army Reserve. She served in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1993 to 2015, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. Ernst received a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University. During the Iraq War, she held command of the 1168th Transportation Company in Kuwait. She later commanded the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Camp Dodge – Iowa Army National Guard’s biggest battalion.
Career In Politics
Ernst was elected Montgomery County Auditor in 2004, and again in 2008. In 2011, Ernst won a special election to the Iowa State Senate, eventually representing District 12 in southwest Iowa. She was reelected there in 2012 before succeeding Tom Harkin as the first Republican Senator from Iowa since 1978 in 2014.
Having been critical of Obama and an ally of Donald Trump. She was considered for his running mate in 2016 before becoming vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference that same year. In 2020 she won reelection against Theresa Greenfield by 6.6 points. On social issues such as abortion and Planned Parenthood, Ernst expresses hardline conservative positions. She opposes Obamacare and calls for reforms to Social Security and Medicare.
Although during Trump’s administration, she expressed concern over certain aspects of his foreign policy and trade war with China without actually opposing them. She voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act while supporting both EPA administrators but voicing concerns over their commitment to the Renewable Fuel Standard.
Additionally, she is a climate change skeptic who opposes a federal minimum wage and advocates for it. She supports reducing or eliminating federal departments like the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Education, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Military Career
At the age of 20, Ernst joined Iowa State University’s ROTC program and subsequently enrolled in the United States Army Reserve after graduating. She was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Iowa National Guard. She spent a year in Kuwait commanding the 1168th Transportation Company during the Iraq War. In the latter stages of her military career, she served as the commanding officer of Camp Dodge’s 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. By 2015, when she retired from service, Ernst had accrued 23 years of service with both the Army Reserve and Army National Guard.
For her efforts, she was awarded several medals including Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. In a 2014 interview with Time Magazine, she discussed an experience of sexual harassment during her time on active duty:
“I had comments, passes, things like that” which she managed to prevent from progressing further. Additionally, Ernst expressed support for removing the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases from the chain of command.
Civil War In Syria
In 2015, Ernst argued that the U.S. should stop admitting Syrian refugees and demand a rigorous vetting process. After Trump launched missiles into Syria in 2018, she expressed discomfort at the prospect of sending more American troops there. It was noted that fighting ISIS should be given primary attention.
After Trump declared troop withdrawal from Syria, she was among six senators to pen a letter criticizing it as an “ill-considered and costly blunder”. In 2019, Ernst joined five other senators in writing to Trump to implore Turkey to end its attack and protect American allies. The attack warned of potential danger for them and the United States if such protections were not established before military exit from Syria.
Views On Russia
In 2017, Ernst labeled Russia’s actions, including its illegal seizure of Crimea and involvement in U.S. elections, “totally unacceptable”. She recommended that Trump assert himself against Vladimir Putin. The following year, she advocated caution if the two countries were to collaborate to restrain Iran, asserting that Russia would never serve as a “true friend or ally” to America.
Citing North Korea is an example where prudence should be practiced while striving to make the globe “a safer place. After the 2018 summit between Trump and Putin later that month, Ernst conveyed optimism that Trump had underscored the repercussions of Russia’s annexation of Ukraine, and endorsement of Bashar al-Assad.
Personal Life
In 1992, Joni Culver (now Ernst) got married to Gail Ernst. The couple has one daughter, Libby. However, on August 27, 2018, Ernst announced she and Gail were divorcing. In an affidavit, Ernst claimed to have declined then-candidate Trump’s offer to be his vice-presidential running mate due to her husband. She said that her husband belittled her whenever she achieved a goal.
Gail said he “sacrificed” his aspirations to support Ernst’s career. The divorce was finalized in January 2019 with Joni alleging verbal and mental abuse from Gail as well as physical assault. Both accused each other of infidelity yet denied it. During her first interview after their split, Ernst revealed she had been raped in college.
She is a lifetime member of multiple organizations such as Montgomery County Republican Women, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2265, and others. Moreover, she goes to Mamrelund Lutheran Church of ELCA denomination in Stanton, Iowa.
On June 13, 2018, Federal judge Linda Reade sentenced Joseph Dierks of Waterloo for six years over threats against Ernst. He was also accused of making disgraceful comments about the judge and prosecutor’s children as well as black corrections officers while awaiting trial.
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Net Worth
Joni Ernst net worth is estimated to be more than $196,000. The major source of her income is her political career.
