Republican Joni Ernst's campaign image as a gun-carrying, hog-castrating country lawmaker and veteran may quickly take on a different look — one of a stateswoman in the U.S. Senate's new GOP majority.

Ernst, an Iraq War veteran and lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard who was elected Iowa's first woman member of Congress on Tuesday, quickly signaled her interest in issues facing the U.S. military.

"You know what? ISIS isn't just going to go away," Ernst mentioned in her victory speech as her first policy concern, referring to Islamic State militants who have seized large portions of territory in Iraq and Syria.

Her victory came amid a good night for Republicans in Iowa. Incumbent Republican governor Terry Branstad was elected to his sixth non-consecutive term and Republicans won three of the state's four congressional seats. They also broadened their majority in the Iowa House, though Republicans failed to make similar gains in the Iowa Senate, where Democrats have been in control.

But Ernst's battle with Democratic U.S. Rep Bruce Braley, by far the most expensive campaign in Iowa history, had the most national significance. Iowa's first open Senate seat in 40 years was among the most contested in the fight for control of the chamber, which Republicans won decidedly.

"It's a long way from Red Oak to Washington," she said. "Thanks to you Iowa, we are headed to Washington, and we are going to make them squeal." That was a reference to the ads that vaulted the first-term state senator to the front of the primary pack last spring, spots in which she announced that she grew up castrating hogs and would cut pork in Washington.

While Ernst has conservative views and co-sponsored legislation on issues like restricting abortion access, she was not known for fiery rhetoric on the Iowa Senate floor. "She's someone in the caucus, when things needed to be done she needed to reach across the aisle," state Sen. Rick Bertrand said.

Ernst has said she will try to work across the aisle on at least one issue — legislation to deal with sexual harassment in the military.

Braley and women's groups had criticized Ernst for her support of a constitutional amendment that would bestow the rights of personhood on a fetus. But she enjoyed the quiet support of Branstad during the primary, and the enthusiastic support of the re-elected 6-term governor during the general election.

Both Braley and Ernst raised more than $10 million, and outside groups spent additional millions on television advertising.

Braley, 57, is a four-term U.S. House member who had focused more on presenting issue differences and billed himself as a consumer advocate who can build bipartisan relationships.

"There are a lot of disappointed people tonight, including me," Braley told reporters in conceding. "But we are lucky to live in a country where we have the freedom to be disappointed in the outcome of an election."

Both candidates had shown vulnerability as first-time candidates for statewide office, though Braley's seemed to leave a more lasting impression in voters' minds.

In January, Braley was caught on a hidden video camera trying to tout his credentials as a lawyer while appearing before a fundraiser with other lawyers in Texas when he uttered the campaign's most memorable line:

"You might have a farmer from Iowa who never went to law school," as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he said, referring to Republicans Sen. Chuck Grassley. Grassley, in his sixth term, is a non-lawyer and now positioned to become committee chairman as Republicans have taken control.

Des Moines business owner Trent Litten, 49, said he voted for Ernst because he thought Braley came off as arrogant. "I'm not a fan of lawyers, or of Braley's attitude," Litten said.

Republican victories in Iowa included ones in the state House, Iowa's 1st District U.S. House seat and the open 3rd District seat.

The 1st District seat, won by Dubuque businessman Rod Blum, had been held by Braley. The 3rd District was carried by David Young, U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley's former chief of staff, which came open due to 20-year Rep. Tom Latham's retirement. And Republican Rep. Steve King won his eighth term in the U.S. House.

U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, in Iowa's 2nd District, was the only Iowa Democrat to win federal office Tuesday.

Share:
In Other News
Load More