Iowa Democratic Rep. and minor league pitcher J.D. Scholten to run against Sen. Joni Ernst

[highplainsdem]

Source: Des Moines Register

Democratic Iowa state Rep. J.D. Scholten is launching a run for the U.S. Senate, seeking to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst in 2026.

Scholten's announcement comes days after Ernst sparked a national backlash over comments she made about Medicaid at a town hall in Parkersburg.

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"I fundamentally believe that we deserve more than a GoFundMe broken health care system, a JBS food system and a Dollar General economy," he said. "I will continue to run, as I did in my congressional campaigns, (to) fight for universal health care, fix the economy so it works for everybody and secure our democracy from the special interests like the billionaires that are dictating it."

Scholten's Senate announcement comes one day after his professional baseball team, the Sioux City Explorers, shared that he has been added to the team's active roster and is expected to play this summer. Scholten made his return as a pitcher for the Explorers last year at the age of 44, a decade after he first retired from professional baseball.

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Read more: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/elections/2025/06/02/iowa-democrat-jd-scholten-campaign-us-senate-joni-ernst/83996373007/

[Ponietz]

1. Good timing on the announcement

[Irish_Dem]

2. He knocked it out of the park.

[Skittles]

3. *SNORT*

I hate that expression outside of baseball.

[Irish_Dem]

5. I know nothing about baseball, I was hoping I had the right metaphor.

[cabotnn22]

4. I see what you did there

LOL. Good one. For people in Iowa, is he popular?

[madville]

6. Will be an uphill fight

Looks like a good candidate though. Ernst only won 2020 by 6% but Grassley won 2022 by 13% and Trump won the state last year by 12%. Ernst has always underperformed Grassley so I’d estimate her built in advantage at around 7-8% right now, not impossible to overcome.

[Doodles]

7. Great guy!

I campaigned for him when he ran for Congress. This was during Covid and made things so difficult, but we had car rally’s and lots of calls, of course. I think his serving in Iowa legislature has probably strengthened his credentials, and his baseball career has certainly given him lots of good recognition. His return to pitching at 44 has a great story to it.