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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican Jim Carlin launches primary bid against U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst in week of campaign kickoffs
Former state Sen. Jim Carlin, shown here at a rally in October 2021, has launched a Republican campaign for U.S. senator. (Photo by Katie Akin/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Former state legislator Jim Carlin, a Republican, announced he is running for Iowa's U.S. Senate seat in the upcoming election — the latest candidate this week to announce their plans to run in 2026. Carlin, who served in the Iowa Senate from 2017 through 2023 and previously in the Iowa House, is running for the seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. Since his time in the Iowa Legislature, Carlin went on to found the Iowa Liberty Network, an organization focused on recruiting and electing 'constitutional conservative' candidates in state government and other public offices. In an interview with the Iowa Capital Dispatch, Carlin said Ernst is not reflecting Iowa Republicans' values in Congress. He pointed to the Heritage Action scorecard for Ernst from the 2023 session, when she received a 42% score on how often her votes aligned with conservative goals. He pointed to her support for money to aid Ukraine in its war against Russia and her vote in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act as examples of Ernst not voting in line with conservative values. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Carlin said Ernst has not delivered on her commitment 'make 'em squeal' by cutting federal spending, as well as promises to work to repeal the Affordable Care Act and 2014 campaign statement that she would only serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. 'The people of Iowa can judge whether or not she's keeping those promises,' Carlin said. 'And I believe that when they … evaluate it, when they look at her voting record and the decisions she's made as a sitting senator, that they will come to the conclusion that she doesn't represent them well in terms of the things they want to see done and the things that they believe in.' Bryan Kraber, Ernst's 2026 campaign manager, pointed to Carlin's failed primary bid against U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley in the 2022 election. 'Good luck trying to take on this combat veteran,' Kraber said in a statement Friday. 'Senator Ernst has a proven record of conservative leadership—cutting waste, securing the border, and making Washington squeal to keep Iowans' hard-earned money in their own pockets. And she delivers for our families, farmers, and veterans. Iowans already saw through Carlin's last failed campaign, and they'll reject his desperate attempt at relevance again in 2026.' Though Carlin and Ernst are battling on conservative bonafides, much of the conversation centered on the upcoming race has focused on Ernst's town hall statement that 'we are all going to die' last week during talks on the funding cuts to Medicaid included in the budget reconciliation bill passed by the U.S. House. Carlin said he supports President Donald Trump's spending goals and believes cuts that should be made to federal programs but 'her handling of that showed a lack of judgment.' 'You don't flippantly say to people, 'well, we're all going to die,'' Carlin said. 'That actually kind of reminds me of Hillary Clinton's statement, 'what difference does it make,' on the other side of Benghazi when people died. I thought it was really inappropriate.' Iowa Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, announced Monday he would compete for the Democratic nomination, saying he 'just can't sit on the sidelines' following the Senator's comments. Scholten and Nathan Sage, a Mason City Democrat, are the only Democrats to have officially joined the race, but other potential Democratic candidates also weighed in on Ernst's comments this week. State Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, who has expressed interested in a run, said 'it is of course true that we are all going to die, but our Senators shouldn't be the ones killing us' in response to Ernst's comments. State Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, is also weighing a bid for the seat. Turek joined a call with Protect Our Care Iowa, an organization advocating for health care access through programs like Medicaid, on Thursday and said the proposal to reduce Medicaid spending by $625 billion in the next decade and implement work requirements will prevent more people with disabilities from accessing needed care. Republicans supporting the 'big, beautiful' tax and spending bill have repeatedly stated people with disabilities and complex medical conditions as well other protected populations, like minors, seniors, parents of dependent children and pregnant people will not be subject to work requirements or taken off the program. But Turek said as a person with a disability who has worked for an organization assessing and providing mobility devices, he has extensive experience with how funding cuts and moves like Iowa's Medicaid privatization have limited access to needed health care and services for Iowans with disabilities. The state legislator said he went to Washington, D.C., to speak with all members of Iowa's federal delegation about how the proposed changes will hurt people in need. 'I talked to them specifically about this bill and about the cuts to Medicaid, and additionally about what they're looking at doing on grant funding,' Turek said. 'And we're looking at 140 organizations and groups here in Iowa, disability services — beyond just Medicaid, that are looking at losing all of their funding in some cases, or 50%, 25%. They cannot plead ignorance. They know exactly what this bill is. It's a tax break to the richest, most wealthy Americans off the backs of the poorest and the most vulnerable.' Ernst's comment also led to another campaign launch for the Iowa House. India May, the 33-year-old from Charles City who sparked Ernst's comments on Medicaid during the Parkersburg town hall, is running for Iowa House District 58, currently represented by Republican Rep. Charley Thomson, R-Charles City. May, the Ionia Public Library director, is a county death investigator for Chickasaw County and registered nurse. She shouted 'people will die' at Ernst during the public meeting. 'People are not — well, we all are going to die, so for heaven's sake,' Ernst responded. The day after the meeting, Ernst made an 'apology video' filmed in a cemetery where she said she 'made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth.' 'So I apologize, and I'm really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well,' Ernst said in the video. She also added that 'for those that would like to see eternal and everlasting life, I encourage you to embrace my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.' In a social media post responding to the video, May wrote that Ernst's apology was 'disingenuous and reinforced gaslighting and christofascism aimed toward her MAGA supporters.' She also used the platform to highlight her own run for office. 'In short, my response to Joni's phoney apology is this: I don't want to see another Iowan choose between medicine or food. It's already happening and this bill will make it worse,' May wrote. '… Joni may be disappointed to know that I will continue to email her every day with my concerns, and that it is my intention to run as a progressive Democrat for Iowa House District 58, to undo the damage caused by the incumbent, Charley Thomson, who recently made headlines for targeting a nonprofit organization.' May had referenced the directive sent by Thomson in his capacity as the House government oversight committee chair to the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, an immigrant rights organization, requesting information about the nonprofit organization's clients, donors and members. An attorney for Iowa MMJ rejected the request in April, saying it was not legally valid. Iowa Rep. Eddie Andrews launched his bid for Iowa governor Wednesday, running as a Republican for the seat that will be vacated by Gov. Kim Reynolds following the 2026 election. Andrews, a Johnston Republican first elected in 2020, is one of the first GOP candidates to officially run in what is expected to be a crowded field. Former state Rep. Brad Sherman had announced he is running as a Republican gubernatorial candidate before Reynolds left the race. U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra and Iowa Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, have both launched exploratory committees for a gubernatorial campaign, and other high-profile Iowa Republicans like Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and House Speaker Pat Grassley have expressed interest but not made a decision on whether to run. In a news release on his run, Andrews said his work as a state lawmaker shows why Iowans should back his campaign — he highlighted his support for 'landowner rights' through supporting bills restricting the use of eminent domain in carbon sequestration pipeline projects, efforts to increase psychiatric residencies and provide more incentives to keep doctors in the state, as well as proposals to end sales tax on certain essential items. As governor, Andrews said he wants to focus on improving Iowa's education system, making mental health care more accessible, and pledged to 'destroy the human trafficking industry in our state.' 'Iowa deserves a Governor who listens and delivers,' Andrews said in a statement. 'My experience as a tech entrepreneur, minister and legislator prepares me to serve you.' Democrat Julie Stauch, a longtime Iowa political operative, also launched her campaign for governor this week. Iowa Auditor Rob Sand is considered the frontrunner in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, though Stauch alongside Democrat Paul Dahl will be competing against him in the primary June 2, 2026. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iowa Republican Jim Carlin announces primary campaign against Joni Ernst for US Senate
Iowa Republican Jim Carlin is launching a primary campaign against incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, saying the two-term senator has failed to deliver on her famous "make 'em squeal" mantra. 'Joni Ernst said she would go to D.C. and make them squeal,' Carlin said in a statement, referring to a viral campaign ad that helped propel Ernst to her first term in 2014. 'After a decade, it's clear it was a clever campaign commercial, not conviction. Rather than making them squeal, Joni has joined The Swamp." Carlin is a former state senator and trial lawyer who served in the Iowa Legislature from 2017 to 2022. He is the founder of the Iowa Liberty Network, a group focused on "maintaining the liberties endowed by our Creator through getting authentic, constitutional conservatives elected to the state legislature and other public offices," according to its website. Carlin previously mounted a primary campaign against Iowa's other Republican U.S. senator, Chuck Grassley, in 2022. He positioned himself to the right of Grassley, arguing he was more conservative on issues such as immigration and the Second Amendment, and he criticized Grassley for voting to certify the 2020 election in Democrat Joe Biden's favor without pushing to investigate unsubstantiated allegations of fraud. Grassley defeated him 73.5% to 26.5%. "Senator Ernst has a proven record of conservative leadership — cutting waste, securing the border, and making Washington squeal to keep Iowans' hard-earned money in their own pockets," Ernst's campaign manager Bryan Kraber said in a statement. "And she delivers for our families, farmers and veterans. Iowans already saw through Carlin's last failed campaign, and they'll reject his desperate attempt at relevance again in 2026.' Carlin said in a news release that Ernst pledged to serve just two terms in the U.S. Senate when she first ran in 2014, even though she is now seeking a third term. And he said she angered "America First conservatives" with her reluctance to support Republican President Donald Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth. Ernst ignited a firestorm among Republicans by withholding her support for Hegseth initially, although she ultimately voted to confirm him. Carlin also pointed to Ernst's 2022 vote for the Respect for Marriage Act, which garnered intense pushback from some Iowa Republicans. At least 17 county parties voted to condemn or censure Ernst over the vote. 'Iowans deserve a voice in Washington, D.C., who actually listens to them and represents them — not big donors and special interests,' he said. 'More than that, Iowans deserve someone who genuinely cares about them and will work to make their lives better. There are enough self-serving establishment politicians in Washington. President Donald J. Trump needs America First allies, not adversaries.' Ernst has not formally announced her reelection effort, but she has hired a campaign manager and scheduled her annual Roast and Ride fundraiser for the fall. One other Republican challenger, Joshua Smith, has announced a campaign against Ernst for the GOP nomination. And two Democrats have formally entered the race: Knoxville Chamber of Commerce director Nathan Sage and State Rep. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City. State Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, and state Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, have also previously said they are considering running. Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at bpfann@ or 515-284-8244. Follow her on X at @brianneDMR. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Joni Ernst gets primary challenge from Iowa Republican Jim Carlin
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio lawmakers call for 2026 ballot measure to overturn same-sex marriage ban
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Lawmakers are igniting plans for Ohioans to vote in 2026 on whether to repeal the state's dormant same-sex marriage ban, out of concern it could be reenacted if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns marriage equality. Reps. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) and Eric Synenberg (D-Beachwood) announced on Tuesday that they are reintroducing the 'Marriage Equality Act,' a House Joint Resolution to codify same-sex and interracial marriage. If passed by the Statehouse, the act would place a constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot, providing Ohioans the chance to enshrine marriage equality into Ohio's constitution. Lt. Gov. Tressel discusses DEI, state's workforce preparedness, and possible gubernatorial run LGBTQ+ advocates argue the effort is needed given the Supreme Court has signaled it might reassess Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 case legalizing same-sex marriage. In a concurring opinion to the June 2022 ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote justices 'should reconsider all of this court's substantive due process precedents, including … Obergefell.' Dwayne Steward, Equality Ohio executive director, shares those concerns and told NBC4 in March that the organization is 'having conversations across the state around how we protect marriage equality' in the wake of resolutions introduced in a handful of states urging the Supreme Court to roll back Obergefell. Legislators also attempted last year to align Ohio law with the protections set by Obergefell, but the proposal didn't advance past a single committee hearing. Watch a previous NBC4 report on the 'Marriage Equality Act' in the video player above. 'We cannot assume that federal protections currently under law will last forever, and that is why we are taking this step now to ensure that Ohio's constitution reflects what we already know to be true: Love is love, families matter and every Ohioans deserves equal protection and dignity under the law,' Synenberg said on Tuesday. Should Obergefell be overturned, Ohio would reckon with a revived law passed by the Statehouse in 2004 that states 'a marriage may only be entered into by one man and one woman.' A constitutional amendment that voters passed later in 2004 which reads, 'only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state,' would also be resurrected. A federal law signed in 2022, the Respect for Marriage Act, requires a state to recognize same-sex marriages from other states, while also allowing states to decide for themselves whether to issue licenses to same-sex couples. So, if Obergefell falls and Ohio's bans have yet to be repealed, the act would only require the state to recognize marriages from other states where it is legal. Senate makes changes to Ohio's budget proposal The 'Marriage Equality Act' would ensure Ohio's same-sex couples can continue utilizing legal privileges associated with marriage, like sharing insurance, accessing military benefits, and tax deductions associated with filing taxes jointly. As an OBGYN, Somani said she's 'seen firsthand how having a legally recognized marriage is incredibly important during life's most difficult and vulnerable moments.' 'We see this when someone is dying of cancer and their partner is not allowed to be there in hospice or end-of-life care,' Somani said. 'That is devastating to not have that recognition when you spent your whole life with someone. I have so many friends and family members who are so scared they are gonna lose their legal marriage rights, and I think we need to be fighting.' A ballot measure in Ohio codifying marriage equality would not be unprecedented. Also concerned after the fall of Roe in 2022, voters in California, Colorado and Hawaii passed initiatives in last November's election to repeal dormant same-sex marriage bans and proactively protect marriage equality. Ohio's version would follow in the footsteps of 2023's Issue 1, another ballot measure that passed with 56% of the vote and established the right to abortion. Somani and Synenberg made Tuesday's announcement during a press conference marking Pride Month with other Statehouse Democrats and LGBTQ+ advocates. Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), Ohio's first openly gay Statehouse lawmaker, touted her new bill to mark 'Love Makes a Family Week,' after Republican legislators introduced plans to designate a month celebrating 'natural families.' Lawmakers clash over Ohio bill to ban therapy for minors without parent consent Antonio also recently reintroduced proposals to ban anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. While Antonio told NBC4 in March the timing of a measure codifying same-sex marriage needs to be right and that such a proposal would only be written 'honestly and presented objectively' when Statehouse representation changes, she said on Tuesday now is the time to 'stand together to make sure that no one is sent out to the margins.' 'I am proud to be the first member of the LGBTQ community to be elected to this legislature back in 2010,' Antonio said during the press conference. 'There is no closet big enough to send us all back to, we're not going and we don't have to. We should not. Members of the LGBTQ community survived persecution, survived erasure a long time ago. We are not going back to those days.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Republicans Are Changing Their Minds on Same-Sex Marriage
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An increasing number of Republicans have indicated that they disagree with same-sex marriage, a new poll shows. Gallup polling conducted between May 1 and 18 among 1,003 adults in the U.S. found that Republican support for same-sex marriage had declined to its lowest point since 2016. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. Why It Matters In 2015, the Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which was decided by a 5-4 vote, legalized same-sex marriage across the country. The Respect for Marriage Act, which Congress passed in 2022 and President Joe Biden signed into law, also said "interracial and same-sex marriage must be recognized as legal in every state in the nation." That same year, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas said in a concurring opinion that Obergefell should be reconsidered. Recently, Republican lawmakers in several states have moved to end same-sex marriage, calling on the court to revisit the ruling. A Pride Parade in Bangkok on June 4, 2023. A Pride Parade in Bangkok on June 4, 2023. AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit What To Know The new Gallup poll showed that Republicans' support of same-sex marriage stood at 41 percent, a notable decline from its 2021 peak of 55 percent. Among Democrats, 88 percent supported same-sex marriage, while 76 percent of independents agreed with the policy. The 47-point divide between Republicans and Democrats is the largest gap that Gallup has measured since it began tracking attitudes toward same-sex marriage 29 years ago. The poll showed that 68 percent of Americans overall supported the right to same-sex marriage, a percentage that has remained relatively similar since 2021. The poll also found that while 64 percent of Americans considered gay relations to be morally acceptable, only 38 percent of Republicans shared that view—marking a decline from 2022, when 56 percent of Republicans believed homosexuality was morally acceptable. Among Democrats, 86 percent believed it is morally acceptable, and 69 percent of independents held that view. Earlier this month, Oklahoma state Senator Dusty Deevers filed a resolution calling on the Supreme Court to overturn the nationwide right to same-sex marriage. The Idaho House of Representatives passed a similar resolution in January. In December, Michigan state Senator Josh Schriver called to "make gay marriage illegal again," saying his position was "not remotely controversial, nor extreme." Meanwhile, a North Dakota resolution to make the Supreme Court revisit Obergefell failed in March, with at least two dozen Republicans breaking ranks and voting against the GOP-led measure. What People Are Saying Commenting on whether he feared the Supreme Court would overturn Obergefell, Pete Buttigieg, who served as Transportation Secretary under the Biden administration, said on CBS's The Late Show in March: "They don't seem terribly concerned about allowing precedents to stand, even recent precedents, so how can we not be worried about that?" The American Civil Liberties Union wrote on Twitter, now called X, in 2022 following the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act: "The bill ensures federal recognition of marriage regardless of the sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of either spouse. The bill does not, however, codify the right of same-sex couples to marry in all 50 states, as the Supreme Court deemed constitutionally required in Obergefell v. Hodges. If Obergefell is overturned, states would still be able to deny marriage licenses to LGBTQ couples." What Happens Next In line with political and cultural shifts, the proportion of Republicans who agree with same-sex marriage is likely to fluctuate. Whether this results in any legislative changes remains to be seen.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Out gay Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs law repealing marriage equality ban
Marriage equality is officially the law of the land in Colorado after Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a law repealing a provision in the state constitution that banned marriage between same-sex couples. Polis, an out gay man, signed SB25-014 into law Monday, also known as the Protecting the Freedom to Marry act. The bill repeals the provision in Colorado statute that states that marriage is valid only if it is between a man and a woman, which has been unenforceable since the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges. 'Colorado is for everyone, no matter who you are or who you love. Last November, the voters got rid of outdated language in our constitution that banned same-sex marriage," Polis said in a statement. "This is a long overdue step in the right direction and today's law I'm signing ensures that Coloradans can marry who they love in our Colorado for all." Colorado voters approved an amendment to the state constitution in 2006 that stated only the union of one man or one woman could be considered a valid or recognized marriage. Voters later passed an amendment to overturn the ban in 2024 with 63 percent in favor. The new law ensures that even if the Supreme Court reverses Obergefell, marriage equality will still be legal in Colorado. Marriages between same-sex couples would still be recognized federally under the Respect for Marriage Act, which mandates that the federal government recognize same-sex and interracial marriages, and that all states recognize those performed in other states. However, the act does not require states to allow marriages between same-sex couples, allowing them to enact bans. While the Supreme Court has made no official move to reconsider marriage equality, nine states have recently introduced resolutions asking the court to hear the case again, citing similar constitutional amendments banning marriage between same-sex couples that were nullified by Obergefell. Democratic State Senator Jessie Danielson, who introduced the bill in tandem with Democratic Representatives Brianna Titone and Lorena García, said in a statement that the law is especially important now as marriage equality comes under attack. 'The freedom to marry who we love is a fundamental right,' Danielson said. 'I cannot sit back and allow Coloradans to have their marriages and families put at risk. It's especially important now, as the Trump Administration attacks the LGBTQ community, to secure everyone's right to live safely in our state, and marry whomever they love.'
