RepublicanJoni Ernst
U.S. Senator · Iowa
U.S. Senator from Iowa
12 tracked promises, 11 rated
Iowa
Represents Iowa statewide
How they won their seat
Joni Ernst won the 2020 U.S. Senate election in Iowa with 50.9% of the vote (864,997 votes).
- Joni Ernst · Republican50.9%864,997
- Theresa Greenfield · Democrat44.4%754,859
- Rick Stewart · Libertarian2.2%36,961
- Under Votes · Other1.6%27,438
- 3 Other Candidates0.9%15,875
Certified results. Source: MIT Election Data + Science Lab (MEDSL) ↗. A plurality winner can hold under 50% when more than two candidates run.
Inferred legislative agendas
Joni Ernst's record shows a pattern of bills related to fiscal responsibility, government oversight, and support for military and small business initiatives. She has sponsored multiple bills aimed at reducing wasteful spending, such as the 'Protecting American Taxpayers Act' and the 'Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act', while also supporting small businesses through resolutions like 'National Small Business Week'. Additionally, her committee memberships reflect a concentration on agriculture, small business, and military issues. Focus areas (from the record): Fiscal Responsibility · Government Oversight · Military Support · Small Business Advocacy · Fraud Prevention Alignment with declared positions: Consistent. Ernst's sponsored bills and committee work align with her declared positions on fiscal policy and government spending, particularly her pattern of bills related to fiscal responsibility and support for small businesses. What this can't tell you: The effectiveness of her sponsored bills in achieving their intended outcomes is not clear; The impact of her committee work on legislation is not documented; No statements on file limit insights into her public communication and responsiveness to constituents. Confidence: high (based on the volume of verified record on file).
Inferred, not stated. Joni Ernst has not necessarily stated these as goals. This is an AI-generated, nonpartisan reading of the patterns in their verified record — sponsored legislation, committee work, roll-call votes, and campaign-finance composition — and how those patterns compare to any declared positions and tracked promises. It describes what the record emphasizes, never imputes motive, and is run through an adversarial review pass that scrubs bias, loaded language, and any claim the evidence doesn’t support. It is not a quote, a claim they made, or a rating; every underlying item is sourced in the verified record below; and it never affects the Integrity Score.
Showing 2026. Every tile and chart below reflects this window; some record types (e.g. roll-call votes) only have data for recent years.
Activity in office
What Joni Ernst has actually done in office — sourced from official roll-call and government records, shown in full below. These are facts, separate from tracked promises and never folded into any score.
- Votes cast
- 199
- Voted yea
- 125
- Voted nay
- 68
- Bills sponsored
- 22
Roll-call data last updated July 20, 2026 · source: Voteview.
Monthly voting activity
- Yea
- Nay
- Total
Roll-call votes per month — most recent on file. Source: Voteview.
Vote attendance
Share of roll calls participated in — most recent votes on file. Source: Voteview.
Bills sponsored over time
Bills sponsored per year, stacked by outcome (latest action). Outcome data covers the 118th–119th Congresses; earlier years show as “awaiting status” until enriched. Source: Congress.gov.
Independence
How often they break with their party’s majority — neither good nor bad, just the record.
Most recent roll-call votes on file. Source: Voteview.
Bill success rate
Bills SPONSORED in the 118th–119th Congresses, by their latest action. Source: Congress.gov.
Campaign finance over time
- Small-dollar (unitemized)$234K14%
- Large individual (itemized)$763K47%
- PAC / committee$637K39%
By election cycle. Source: FEC.
Committee memberships
- Member, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and ForestryOn record since Jan 2025Member
- Member, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry — Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and BiotechnologyOn record since Jan 2025Member
- Member, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry — Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Food SafetyOn record since Jan 2025Member
- Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry — Rural Development, Energy, and CreditOn record since Jan 2025Chair
- Member, Senate Committee on Armed ServicesOn record since Jan 2025Member
- Member, Senate Committee on Armed Services — CybersecurityOn record since Jan 2025Member
- Chairman, Senate Committee on Armed Services — Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesOn record since Jan 2025Chair
- Member, Senate Committee on Armed Services — PersonnelOn record since Jan 2025Member
- Member, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsOn record since Jan 2025Member
- Member, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs — Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and CensusOn record since Jan 2025Member
- Member, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs — Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory AffairsOn record since Jan 2025Member
- Chairman, Senate Committee on Small Business and EntrepreneurshipOn record since Jan 2025Chair
Source: Congress.gov.
Integrity
Promises kept vs. worked against — weighted breakdown+65 · based on 11 rated promises
- Ignored 1
- Attempted 1
- Partial 2
- Championed 5
- Fully Kept 2
Teal segments are promises kept; amber and stone segments are promises worked against. The signed score weights each rated promise by significance and evidence confidence. Promise-keeping is shown separately from popularity, finance, disclosure, and stated positions. Methodology is open.
Integrity over time
In office since Jan 2015 · 11 rated promisesEach step is a real change in the sourced record — the score holds between assessments.
Promise status over time
How the tracked promise record has evolved.
- Kept10
- Against1
- No opportunity0
- In progress0
Replayed from this official’s sourced assessment history — the bands step only when an assessment is recorded or changed. Based on the most recent roll-call votes on file and the tracked promise assessments; never interpolated.
Topic coverage
12 promises across 12 topicsWhat this record covers — the number of tracked promises per topic. This is coverage, not a verdict; the kept/against shading within each bar mirrors the Integrity breakdown above.
- Campaign Finance / Federal Spending1
- Education1
- Environment / Regulation1
- Fiscal Policy1
- Foreign Policy / Israel1
- Government Efficiency / Federal Budget1
- Government Oversight1
- Government Spending / Earmarks1
- Government Spending & Waste1
- Health Care1
- Military / Sexual Assault Reform1
- Unemployment / Welfare Reform1
Evidence & significance
Evidence quality
Strongest source cited per promise.
- Primary (official record)1192%
- Reputable news18%
Significance mix
How weighty the tracked promises are (1 = minor, 5 = defining).
Significance weights each promise in the Integrity Score.
12 tracked promises
“Ernst's signature commitment to cut wasteful federal spending and "make Washington squeal" — the central pledge of her 2014 Senate campaign that she frames as the specific mission Iowans sent her to Congress to accomplish.”
“As founder and chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, committed to identify waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government and propose solutions to end it, including a blueprint she says she provided outlining roughly $2 trillion in potential savings.”
“Committed to pass the bipartisan Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act to strengthen sexual-assault prevention, hold perpetrators accountable, and equip independent military prosecutors to handle serious cases while preserving commander visibility.”
“Committed to repeal and replace Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act) while protecting coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.”
“Committed to pass legislation (the RICH Act / Ending Unemployment Payments to Jobless Millionaires Act) barring people earning $1 million or more a year from collecting federal unemployment benefits.”
“Pledged unequivocal U.S. support for Israel during the May 2021 conflict, and called on the Biden administration to match that commitment.”
“Committed to permanently ban congressional earmarks and to oppose any effort to bring the practice back.”
“Committed to pass the ELECT Act to eliminate the taxpayer-funded Presidential Election Campaign Fund and redirect its remaining balance toward paying down the national debt.”
“During her 2014 Senate campaign, committed to shutting down the federal Environmental Protection Agency.”
“During her 2014 Senate campaign, committed to closing the federal Department of Education, arguing children are better educated when responsibility rests with the states.”
“During her 2014 Senate campaign, committed to support a federal balanced budget amendment as a first step toward fiscal responsibility.”
“Commitment to personally issue a "Squeal Award" every month that identifies a specific federal expense, program, or concept she deems wasteful and says must be cut.”
Verified record
357 sponsored bills · finance on fileFacts imported directly from official government sources — shown separately from tracked promises and never folded into the Integrity Score. Each entry links to its primary source.
FEC 2026 cycle — raised $6,954,693, spent $5,485,943, cash on hand $0.
View the FEC filing ↗Sponsored legislation
- Sponsored S 4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act ↗Jul 13, 2026
- Sponsored S 4892: SMART Energy Efficiency Standards Act ↗Jun 24, 2026
- Sponsored S 4940: Specialized Infant Formula Protection Act ↗Jun 24, 2026
- Sponsored S 4891: Preventing Fugitive Fraudsters Act ↗Jun 24, 2026
- Sponsored S 4789: Blue Star Mothers Day Act ↗Jun 16, 2026
- Sponsored S 4747: Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act ↗Jun 10, 2026
- Sponsored S 4685: Ending Double Dealing Act of 2026 ↗Jun 4, 2026
- Sponsored S 4505: A bill to require the United States Postal Service to designate ZIP Codes for certain communities. ↗May 12, 2026
- Sponsored SRES 722: A resolution addressing the politicization of war crimes allegations against allied special operations forces. ↗Apr 30, 2026
- Sponsored S 4447: No Taxpayer-Funded Pensions for Sex Criminals Act ↗Apr 30, 2026
- Sponsored SRES 703: A resolution expressing support for the designation of the week of May 3, 2026, through May 9, 2026, as "National Small Business Week" to celebrate the contributions of small businesses and entrepreneurs in every community in the United States. ↗Apr 29, 2026
- Sponsored S 4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act ↗Apr 22, 2026
Showing the 12 most recent of 357 sponsored measures.
Voting record
- Total votes
- 858
- Yea
- 623
- Nay
- 216
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 19
Full voting record
858 votes- SJRES198Nay
- PN8518Yea
- PN9304Yea
- PN9304Yea
- S4784Yea
- PN9382Yea
- PN9303Yea
- SJRES185Nay
- PN9382Yea
- SJRES196Nay
- PN9303Yea
- PN9302Yea
- PN9302Yea
- PN9307Yea
- PN9307Yea
- HCONRES86Nay
- PN8593Yea
- HR6644Yea
- PN73033Yea
- HR6644Yea
Roll-call votes, 119th Congress. Source: Voteview (voteview.com). Click any vote to verify it independently.
Stated positions
12 positions on recordWhat this official says they believe — sourced claims, shown distinctly from tracked promises and from any assessment of what they did. A stated position is never scored and never affects the Integrity Score.
- Fiscal PolicyStated position
During her 2014 Senate campaign, committed to support a federal balanced budget amendment as a first step toward fiscal responsibility.
Sourceshttps://iowastartingline.com/2020/08/12/how-joni-ernsts-make-em-squeal-pledge-holds-up-6-years-later/View position & sources → - Government OversightStated position
Commitment to personally issue a "Squeal Award" every month that identifies a specific federal expense, program, or concept she deems wasteful and says must be cut.
Sourceshttps://www.ernst.senate.gov/make-em-squealView position & sources → - Government Spending & WasteStated position
Ernst's signature commitment to cut wasteful federal spending and "make Washington squeal" — the central pledge of her 2014 Senate campaign that she frames as the specific mission Iowans sent her to Congress to accomplish.
Sourceshttps://www.ernst.senate.gov/make-em-squealView position & sources → - Unemployment / Welfare ReformStated position
Committed to pass legislation (the RICH Act / Ending Unemployment Payments to Jobless Millionaires Act) barring people earning $1 million or more a year from collecting federal unemployment benefits.
Sourceshttps://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-ends-handouts-to-the-idle-richView position & sources → - Government Efficiency / Federal BudgetStated position
As founder and chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, committed to identify waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government and propose solutions to end it, including a blueprint she says she provided outlining roughly $2 trillion in potential savings.
Sourceshttps://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-on-doge-caucus-my-promise-was-to-make-em-squealView position & sources → - Foreign Policy / IsraelStated position
Pledged unequivocal U.S. support for Israel during the May 2021 conflict, and called on the Biden administration to match that commitment.
Sourceshttps://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-i-am-here-to-pledge-my-unequivocal-support-to-israelView position & sources → - Military / Sexual Assault ReformStated position
Committed to pass the bipartisan Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act to strengthen sexual-assault prevention, hold perpetrators accountable, and equip independent military prosecutors to handle serious cases while preserving commander visibility.
Sourceshttps://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-grassley-gillibrand-secure-bipartisan-support-from-over-60-senators-for-bill-to-prevent-military-sexual-assault-hold-perpetrators-accountableView position & sources → - Government Spending / EarmarksStated position
Committed to permanently ban congressional earmarks and to oppose any effort to bring the practice back.
Sourceshttps://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/columns/joni-ernst-dont-let-the-swamp-strike-back-keep-earmarks-away-from-congressView position & sources → - Campaign Finance / Federal SpendingStated position
Committed to pass the ELECT Act to eliminate the taxpayer-funded Presidential Election Campaign Fund and redirect its remaining balance toward paying down the national debt.
Sourceshttps://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-introduces-bill-to-end-taxpayer-funded-presidential-campaignsView position & sources → - Health CareStated position
Committed to repeal and replace Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act) while protecting coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
Sourceshttps://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-it-is-important-that-we-protect-people-with-pre-existing-conditions-as-we-repeal-and-replace-obamacareView position & sources → - Environment / RegulationStated position
During her 2014 Senate campaign, committed to shutting down the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Sourceshttps://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2014/jun/27/league-conservation-voters/does-joni-ernst-want-abolish-education-department-/View position & sources → - EducationStated position
During her 2014 Senate campaign, committed to closing the federal Department of Education, arguing children are better educated when responsibility rests with the states.
Sourceshttps://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2014/jun/27/league-conservation-voters/does-joni-ernst-want-abolish-education-department-/View position & sources →
Disclosure
A separate measure from the promise scorecard above. It tracks confirmed cases where this official has acted on or championed an issue that already existed when they ran, but which they did not disclose as a priority in their campaign. Each case meets a high evidence bar — three independent sources — and the score is shown alongside the Integrity Score, never merged into it. How this is measured.
No undisclosed priorities on record. This is not a clean-audit claim — it means none have been confirmed for this official.
Office context & community edits
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