SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Iowa state Representative J.D. Scholten, a member of the Democratic Party, has declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, prompted by remarks from U.S. Senator Joni Ernst. Scholten cited her controversial comments regarding Medicaid cuts as the catalyst for his decision.
Residing in the northwest region of Iowa, Scholten began his career in the state legislature in 2023. Prior to this, he unsuccessfully contested two congressional elections within Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, an area known for its conservative leanings.
“Taking this step wasn’t something I anticipated at the moment,” Scholten shared through a statement on social media. “However, I can’t simply watch from the sidelines any longer.”
Senator Ernst addressed an audience in Parkersburg, Iowa, where she justified a $700 billion reduction in spending. She argued that these reductions would exclude undocumented immigrants and those with employer-sponsored insurance from Medicaid, thereby preserving resources for the most vulnerable recipients. Her comments sparked controversy as a member of the audience voiced concerns that people would suffer without coverage. Ernst’s response was, “People are not… well, we all are going to die.” This statement ignited significant backlash, further fueled by a sarcastic video apology she released the following day.
Scholten first entered the national political arena in 2018 by challenging incumbent U.S. Representative Steve King. King’s tenure was shadowed by repeated controversies and associations with white supremacist ideologies, yet Scholten was unable to unseat him. In a 2020 rematch, he again faced disappointment, losing decisively to Republican Randy Feenstra by a margin exceeding 20 percentage points.