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.

-snip-

"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.

-snip-

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