J.D. Scholten Will Challenge Joni Ernst in Iowa Senate Race

J.D. Scholten, a state representative who is also a minor-league baseball pitcher, said he had felt compelled to take on Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican, after her defense of Medicaid cuts.

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Defending Medicaid Cuts, Ernst Tells Iowans, ‘We All Are Going to Die’

Senator Joni Ernst's flip response in an exchange with constituents about the effects of Trump’s domestic policy bill quickly spread online.

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As Trump Turns Against Ukraine, Republicans in Congress Stay Quiet

Congressional Republicans have mostly tempered their criticism or deferred to the president as he topples what were once their party’s core foreign policy principles.

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Joni Ernst Says She Will Vote to Confirm Pete Hegseth

The Iowa Republican’s decision dramatically increases the likelihood that Mr. Hegseth will have enough votes to be confirmed as President-elect Donald J. Trump’s defense secretary.

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Gillibrand, Hirono and Warren Grill Hegseth Over Views on Women

President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for defense secretary had a more amicable exchange with Joni Ernst, a Republican, who is considered a key vote.

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Pete Hegseth to Face Democratic Questioning in Confirmation Hearing

President-elect Donald J. Trump’s choice to lead the Pentagon will field questions on Tuesday on a range of issues, including a sexual assault allegation and his lack of management experience.

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The Resurrection of Trump’s Support for Pete Hegseth

The president-elect became convinced that letting Pete Hegseth fail would set off a feeding frenzy among senators. What followed was a MAGA swarm that helped salvage his bid, at least for now.

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Susan Collins Grills Pete Hegseth and Declines to Endorse Him for Defense Secretary

Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, said she questioned President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon on the misconduct allegations against him and other topics.

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Debate Over Hegseth’s Fitness Highlights a Gender Divide in the Senate

As many of the Senate’s Republican men dismiss allegations against President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, only a small group of G.O.P. women have voiced even a hint of skepticism.

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Ernst Suggests She Will Not Oppose Hegseth for Defense Secretary

Senator Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, said she would “support Pete through this process,” stopping short of promising to vote to confirm him but indicating a turnabout from her previous skepticism.

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