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PTP
Republican

Joni Ernst

U.S. Senate

Raised · 2026 cycle

$12.0M

Source: FEC

Top PAC industries

Gun Rights · Labor Unions · Telecom

By PAC dollars · Source: FEC

As of July 2026, Joni Ernst is a Republican who holds the seat of U.S. Senate in Iowa. Federal Election Commission filings report $12,011,101 in total receipts for the 2026 cycle. The largest identified industry sources of PAC money to the campaign are Gun Rights, Labor Unions, and Telecom. All figures on this page are drawn from primary sources — FEC filings, congressional records, and STOCK Act disclosures — and link back to them.

Data last updated April 2026.

Joni Ernst is Iowa's junior U.S. Senator, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve and Iraq War veteran whose 2014 "Make 'em Squeal" campaign ads became iconic in American politics. A reliable conservative voice on fiscal issues, military affairs, and agriculture, she narrowly won re-election in 2020 against Theresa Greenfield, 52–48%. Iowa has trended increasingly Republican in recent cycles, but Ernst remains mindful of the competitive nature of statewide races.

Military & Veterans

Fully fund the military; expand veterans' healthcare and benefits

  • Chaired the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats
  • Authored the PREVENT Suicide Act to address veteran mental health and suicide
  • Backed VA Choice and Community Care Act to expand veterans' healthcare options

Government Waste & Accountability

Eliminate wasteful federal spending; cut the deficit

  • Annually published "Squeal Award" reports on wasteful government spending
  • Backed the COST Act to increase federal contractor accountability
  • Opposed earmarks and pushed for line-item veto authority

Agriculture

Protect Iowa's farmers; defend the Renewable Fuel Standard

  • Staunchly defended the ethanol Renewable Fuel Standard critical to Iowa corn farmers
  • Backed crop insurance and disaster assistance programs in the Farm Bill
  • Opposed trade policies that hurt Iowa's agricultural exports to China

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80% of fundraising comes from individual donors — one of the more grassroots-funded profiles in this cycle.

$12.0M

Total raised

$11.9M

Total spent

$98K

Cash on hand

Where the money comes from

Individual donations ≥$200$7.3M · 60%
Small dollar donations <$200$2.4M · 20%
PAC contributions$1.5M · 12%
Party committee contributions$4K · 0%
Transfers from other committees$901K · 7%
Candidate self-funding$3K · 0%

Reflects money received by the campaign committee itself. “Loans and other receipts” covers candidate or bank loans, offsets to operating expenditures, interest and other non-contribution receipts reported to the FEC. Independent expenditures by super PACs are not included.

Totals through 2014-12-31 · Source: FEC

Former staff and officials who held a role at this office and currently work in lobbying, law, advocacy, or the private sector. Sourced from sworn LDA filings.

Katherina Dimenstein
Former: Legislative Assistant · 2016–2017
LobbyistatGENERAL ATOMICSLobbying firm
Liz Bowman
Former: Communications Director
LobbyistatTHE WILLIAMS COMPANIES, INC.Lobbying firm
Jennifer Haynes
Former: Legislative Director · 2023–2024
LobbyistatINVARIANT LLCLobbying firm
Ryan Berger
Former: Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director

Sources: LDA filings via lda.gov · PolTraPro entity resolution. Confidence: confirmed only.