Iowa Senator Joni Ernst announced that she would vote for Pete Hegseth to become Defense Secretary, making his path to Senate confirmation much easier.

The Iowa senator supports Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, despite allegations of assault and drinking — but she doesn’t want to talk about it.

Joni Ernst announced this week she will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as the nation’s next secretary of defense, it underlined President-elect Donald Trump’s immense sway over Congress and the grassroots in Iowa as he returns to the White House.

Legislation named after an Iowan killed in a drunk driving crash by an immigrant who was not legally authorized to be in the United States gained traction last week as the U.S. Senate moved forward Friday on a Republican-led immigration bill.

The Iowans’ push stems from the 2016 death of Sarah Root, a Council Bluffs resident who was killed by an undocumented immigrant driving drunk.

Iowa's Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said Tuesday she will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth to lead the U.S. Department of Defense, ending weeks of speculation about whether she would stand in opposition to President-elect Donald Trump.

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa introduced legislation to prohibit federal funding for Planned Parenthood after the organization received COVID-19 relief funds.

(ABC 6 News) — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst has found an ally across the aisle in helping pass “Sarah’s Law.” It is in honor of Sarah Root, who was killed by a drunk driver back in 2016. The bill is currently being considered as an amendment to the Laken Riley Act, which is on the Senate floor.

Joni Ernst had been seen as a key hurdle to Pete Hegseth’s confirmation. She approached her questions firmly but without confrontation Tuesday.

The Iowa Republican’s decision dramatically increases the likelihood that Mr. Hegseth will have enough votes to be confirmed as President-elect Donald J. Trump’s defense secretary.

Since 2016, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) has introduced the bill to pass “Sarah’s Law,” which would amend mandatory detention provisions and require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain illegal immigrants charged with killing or seriously ...

Iowa's Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said Tuesday she will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth to lead the U.S. Department of Defense, ending weeks of speculation about whether she would stand in ...