U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson (R-IA) announced that she’s running for retiring Senator Joni Ernst‘s seat in the 2026 U.S. Senate election. Hinson, who received the endorsement of President Donald Trump, will face former State Senator Jim Carlin, and former vice chair of the Libertarian National Committee Joshua Smith, in the GOP primary.
When Hinson announced her candidacy on Sunday (as seen below), she mentioned the name of Democratic State Senator Zach Wahls, who is also running for Ernst’s seat.
Hinson said: “I’m not gonna stand by as far-left Democrats like Zach Wahls masquerade as a moderate, hoping to fool Iowans into believing that they share our values. We know better, they don’t.”
Corrupt Ashley Hinson (who is singlehandedly blocking the release of the Epstein Files) took time out of her Senate launch speech to attack me by name.
If you want to debate Iowa values, Ashley – name a time and place. I’ll be there. pic.twitter.com/XIxSpYsTRU
— Zach Wahls (@ZachWahls) September 15, 2025
Wahls responded on social media and wrote: “Corrupt Ashley Hinson (who is singlehandedly blocking the release of the Epstein Files) took time out of her Senate launch speech to attack me by name. If you want to debate Iowa values, Ashley – name a time and place. I’ll be there.”
Note: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) needs just one more signature on his petition to compel a vote on a bill to direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make publicly available certain records related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell.
All 213 Democrats signed the petition with only four Republicans (Reps. Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert).
During an interview with MeidasNetwork on Friday (see below), Wahls also called out Hinson by name.
He said, “Ashley Hinson, frankly I think in some respects is even worse than Joni Ernst. She’s just going to be another part of this broken establishment that’s failing Iowans and leaving people behind.”
When Republicans claim we’re in a ‘Golden Age’ they’re full of it.
Just ask a farmer. pic.twitter.com/CPDB4ZKz42
— Zach Wahls (@ZachWahls) September 12, 2025
Other Democrats who have declared their candidacies in the 2026 Senate election in Iowa include State Rep. Josh Turek; former State Rep. Bob Krause; chair of the Des Moines school board and former Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama, Jackie Norris.