Sioux City Democrat J.D. Scholten announced Monday that he is running for the U.S. Senate seat in Iowa in 2026.
In a release, he said, “I’m a baseball-playing, monopoly-busting, beer drinking, Bible-reading, working-class proud Prairie-Populist who is a sixth generation Iowa from here in Sioux City. I fundamentally believe we deserve more than a GoFundMe broken health care system, a JBS food system and Dollar General economy.”
The U.S. Senate seat is currently held by Republican Joni Ernst, who is running for a third term.
Scholten said he was outraged by an Ernst comment Friday in a town hall meeting, after being told by a person that potential federal cuts to Medicaid could mean that people will die.
Ernst responded, “We’re all going to die.”
Scholten, 45, is currently in his third year as a representative in the Iowa House. He twice unsuccessfully sought the Iowa Fourth Congressional District position, losing closely in 2018 to Congressman Steve King.
There is one other Democratic candidate for the Iowa Senate, as a few weeks ago Nathan Sage of Indianola said he will compete for the Democratic nomination. Sage held a campaign event in Sioux City on Sunday.
Ernst also could face multiple challengers in the Republican primary, including former state Senator Jim Carlin, of Sioux City.
