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Ernst Resignation Pending in Iowa Senate

John Pemble/IPR
U.S. Senate Electee Joni Ernst

Iowa’s first woman elected to the U.S. Senate will be vacating her Iowa Senate seat.

Governor Branstad says he will call a special election to fill Joni Ernst’s seat.    The Republican lawmaker represents Senate District 12 comprised of five counties in the southwest corner of the state.  The governor says he’s waiting for Ernst to formally resign.

“We have not received her resignation yet,” Branstad says, “so we can't do anything until we receive that and once we receive that we intend to set the special election.”

Branstad says both he and Ernst have been busy since the election and they haven’t had time to visit about a special election.   Ernst was first elected to represent  far southwest Iowa in 2011 after Kim Reynolds resigned to become  Lieutenant Governor.     

Another Republican lawmaker, Representative Mark Costello from Imogene in Fremont County,  may run for Ernst’s seat.  If he wins, another special election would be held to replace Costello in the Iowa House.