The political landscape of Iowa is heating up as Republicans rally behind Representative Ashley Hinson's 2026 senatorial campaign.
This comes in the wake of the announcement by Republican Iowa Senator Joni Ernst of her impending retirement. Hinson, a former television news anchor and current representative of a northeast Iowa district, has been serving in Congress since 2021.
According to the Daily Caller, Hinson's campaign received a significant boost on Friday with public endorsements from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chairman Tim Scott. These endorsements, coupled with a series of endorsements from House and Senate GOP leadership that Hinson unveiled on Tuesday, could potentially propel her to the general election with robust party support.
Scott, in a statement, expressed his confidence in Hinson's ability to carry forward President Trump's agenda beyond 2026. He said, "Having traveled Iowa with Ashley, I know she is the fighter the Hawkeye State needs to deliver President Trumps agenda in 2026 and beyond. Iowans are all-in for Ashley Hinson, and thats why the NRSC and I are proud to stand with my friend, a proven conservative and staunch Trump ally.
Hinson's political prowess was evident in her 2024 victory over her Democratic opponent, where she secured a win by approximately 60,000 votes, despite the 2nd congressional district of Iowa having less than 30,000 more active Republican registered voters than Democrats.
The NRSC, on Wednesday, circulated a memo highlighting Hinson's strength as a candidate in the Iowa Senate race. The memo, while not outrightly endorsing Hinson, argued that she would easily outperform any Democratic contenders.
"Rep. Ashley Hinson has emerged as a formidable contender for the Senate seat and would be exceedingly difficult for any Democrat to challenge," the memo reads. "Whatever Democrat emerges from their bruising primary will be no match for our nominee.
The memo also underscored the dwindling support for Democrats in the Hawkeye state over the past decade, with President Donald Trump securing Iowa in 2016, 2020, and 2024. "The result is a near-total collapse of Democrat strength," the memo reads.
"Once competitive at every level, Democrats have been shut out of Iowas federal delegation and face an electorate that now forms a cornerstone of the GOPs Midwestern base.
The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan entity, rates the contest as "likely Republican," suggesting that Hinson could outperform Ernst if the latter had chosen to seek a third term in 2026. Hinson, a close ally of Trump, could potentially galvanize low-propensity voters to participate in a midterm election year when the president's name is not on the ballot.
Hinson expressed her gratitude to Thune and Scott for their support in a statement released on Friday. This endorsement follows the public backing of Hinson's campaign by four Republican senators, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
"The support weve received from America First conservatives across Iowa is incrediblewe are ready to keep Iowa red and deliver President Trumps agenda for working families! Hinson wrote.
The rapid consolidation of support for Hinson's campaign mirrors the Republican efforts to back former Republican Representative Mike Rogers' Senate campaign in Michigan. The NRSC and national Republican groups swiftly rallied around Rogers' candidacy, working to deter potential challengers from entering the race.
President Donald Trump ultimately endorsed Rogers in July, setting the Michigan Republican on a clear path to secure the Republican nomination. Meanwhile, the three Democratic candidates continue to grapple in a contentious primary.
National Republicans also quickly rallied around Republican North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley's bid in August, demonstrating the party's strategic efforts to secure key Senate seats in the upcoming midterms.
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