Joni Ernst
U.S. Senator · senate · US · Incumbent
Republican
Limited data
FTH—
DBR—
CON—
ATT98
BIP5
EFF—
How they operate
Measurements of legislative behavior, not policy positions. Not used in alignment scoring.
Bipartisanship5% bipartisanship
Legislative Effectiveness75% effective at passing legislation
Committee Engagement50% engaged in committee work
Fiscal Record50% fiscally consistent
Party Loyalty98% party-loyal in voting
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Issue Breakdown
Economy
Expansionary fiscal policy, higher spendingFiscal ConservatismBalanced budgets, spending restraint
Progressive taxation, higher rates on high earnersTax PolicyLower tax rates, flatter tax structure
Strong redistribution via transfers and programsWealth RedistributionMarket-determined distribution, minimal transfers
Strong regulatory oversight of businessBusiness RegulationDeregulation, free market approach
Protectionism, tariffs, trade barriersTrade PolicyFree trade, open markets, trade agreements
Strong worker protections, union supportLabor PolicyEmployer flexibility, right-to-work
Accommodative monetary policy, Fed interventionMonetary PolicySound money, inflation hawkishness
Expand Social Security, Medicare, safety netEntitlement ProgramsReform/reduce entitlements, privatization
Foreign Policy
Non-interventionism, restraintInterventionismActive military intervention abroad
Reduce defense budgetMilitary SpendingIncrease defense budget
Unilateral actionDiplomacy PreferenceMultilateral engagement, international institutions
Reduce or eliminate foreign aidForeign AidExpand foreign aid and development assistance
Alliance skepticism, burden-sharing demandsAlliance CommitmentStrong alliance commitment, collective defense
Curtail intelligence gathering, privacy focusIntelligence & SurveillanceExpand intelligence capabilities
Engagement over sanctions, diplomatic solutionsSanctions PolicyAggressive sanctions as policy tool
Withdraw from arms control treatiesArms ControlSupport arms control and non-proliferation
Social Issues
Total abortion ban, criminalize providers, no exceptionsReproductive RightsUnrestricted reproductive rights, government-funded access
Strict prohibition, law enforcement approachDrug PolicyDecriminalization, harm reduction, legalization
Minimal gun regulation, Second Amendment absolutismGun PolicyComprehensive gun safety regulation
Tough on crime, longer sentences, more policingCriminal JusticeReform-oriented, rehabilitation, decarceration
Restrictive immigration, enforcement-firstImmigrationExpansive immigration, pathway to citizenship
School choice, vouchers, reduced federal roleEducation PolicyPublic school investment, federal standards
Market-based healthcare, reduce government roleHealthcare SystemUniversal coverage, expanded government role
Market-driven housing, minimal interventionHousing PolicyAffordable housing mandates, rent regulation
Environment
Deny climate science, repeal environmental protections, expand fossil fuelsClimate Action UrgencyEmergency climate mobilization, ban fossil fuels, mandatory net-zero
Fossil fuel expansion, energy independence via oil/gasEnergy TransitionRapid renewable energy transition
Reduce environmental regulationsEnvironmental RegulationStrengthen EPA and environmental protections
Open public lands for developmentLand ConservationExpand protected lands and conservation
Relax air and water quality standardsPollution StandardsStricter pollution controls
Industrial agriculture, reduced restrictionsAgricultural PolicySustainable agriculture, organic incentives
Phase out nuclear energyNuclear EnergyExpand nuclear as clean energy source
Traditional infrastructure prioritiesGreen InfrastructureGreen infrastructure investment (transit, EV, grid)
Governance
States' rights, decentralizationFederal vs. State PowerFederal authority, national standards
Strip executive powers, full congressional supremacy, abolish executive agenciesExecutive PowerUnchecked executive authority, rule by decree, bypass legislature
Originalism, textual interpretationJudicial PhilosophyLiving constitution, evolving interpretation
Total state secrecy, classify all government operations, eliminate FOIAGovernment TransparencyRadical transparency, all government operations public, eliminate classification
Restrict voting access, reduce polling locations, purge voter rolls, oppose enfranchisementElection ReformUniversal automatic registration, expand early/mail voting, restore felon voting rights
Unlimited political spending, free speech framingCampaign FinanceCampaign finance regulation, public funding
Reduce federal agencies, deregulateBureaucratic ReformStrengthen agencies, expand civil service
Light-touch tech regulation, innovation focusTechnology RegulationStrong tech regulation, antitrust, data privacy
Values & Identity
Actively restrict religious expression in public life, remove religious exemptionsRole of ReligionReligious law as governance framework, faith-based policy mandates
Dismantle existing institutions, radical social restructuringTradition vs. ProgressRestore prior social order, reverse progressive changes
Dissolve national sovereignty, supranational governanceNationalismEthno-nationalist exclusion, closed borders, cultural purity
Individual liberty, personal responsibilityCommunity vs. IndividualCommunity obligation, collective responsibility
Moral relativism, personal moral autonomyMoral AuthorityMoral clarity, objective moral standards
Enforce cultural fragmentation, suppress majority cultural expressionCultural PolicyEnforce cultural homogeneity, suppress minority cultural expression
Media skepticism, alternative information sourcesInstitutional Media TrustInstitutional media support, press freedom focus
Science skepticism, question expert consensusScientific AuthorityScience-guided policy, expert deference
Identity & Rights
Roll back existing civil rights protections, weaken enforcementCivil Rights ExpansionExpand civil rights protections to new groups and contexts
Roll back LGBTQ+ protections, recriminalize, ban recognitionLGBTQ+ RightsFull LGBTQ+ equality, comprehensive anti-discrimination protections
Dismantle anti-discrimination frameworks, oppose racial equity enforcementRacial EquitySystemic equity measures, reparations, affirmative action expansion
Roll back Title IX, oppose pay equity enforcement, restrict gender protectionsGender EquityComprehensive gender equity mandates, pay equity, representation quotas
Reduce ADA scope, weaken accessibility requirements, limit accommodationsDisability RightsExpand disability accommodations, strengthen accessibility mandates
Terminate tribal sovereignty, break treaty obligations, assimilateIndigenous RightsExpand tribal sovereignty, fulfill all treaty obligations, land restoration
Mass surveillance state, eliminate privacy protections, warrantless monitoringPrivacy RightsAbsolute privacy rights, ban government surveillance, encrypt everything
Broader speech regulation, hate speech limitsFree Speech ScopeMaximal free speech protection, First Amendment absolutism
Engagement
Trustee model, vote own judgmentConstituent ResponsivenessDelegate model, follow constituent preferences
Low disclosure, opaque decision-makingPersonal TransparencyHigh disclosure, transparent decision-making
How they operate
Measurements of legislative behavior, not policy positions. Not used in alignment scoring.
Bipartisanship5% bipartisanship
Legislative Effectiveness75% effective at passing legislation
Committee Engagement50% engaged in committee work
Fiscal Record50% fiscally consistent
Party Loyalty98% party-loyal in voting
Attendance & Participation99% attendance and participation
Political Positions
Dimension 0
Mandatoryprocedural_vote
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Strength
yeaDimension 0
Voluntary
Recent Voting Record
- A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Policy on Adhering to the Text of the Administrative Procedure Act".Dec 18, 2025 · failedNay
- National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026Dec 17, 2025 · signedNot Voting
- National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026Dec 15, 2025 · signedNot Voting
Committee Assignments
No voting record available
Recent Actions
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Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act
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Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act
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Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act
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Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act
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Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act
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Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act