India, Aug. 30 -- Senator Joni Ernst is not seeking re-election in 2026, with the Republican's decision throwing Iowa wide open. The 55-year-old told people close to her that she is stepping aside, though her office has not said a word about it publicly, per CBS News. Ernst first landed in the Senate in 2014 as a fresh face who shot to attention with no-nonsense ads and a straight-talking style.

Now, with Republicans clinging to a 53-47 edge, her exit leaves her party scrambling to lock down a seat they have long counted on. A poll from state Senator Zach Wahls' campaign already showed Ernst trailing him, and even against other Democrats she was not running far ahead, Newsweek noted. For a state that has trended red for years, those numb...