Poll: Joni Ernst Takes Lead in Iowa GOP Senate Primary

By: American Decency Staff

A new Suffolk University poll of the Iowa GOP Senate primary shows state senator Joni Ernst narrowly leading wealthy business executive Mark Jacobs: 

In the smaller subset of June Republican Primary voters, State Sen. Joni Ernst, who has been tagged the “castration candidate” due to her TV ad that includes a matter-of-fact reference to growing up on an Iowa hog farm, is leading businessman Mark Jacobs 25 percent to 23 percent. Radio show host Sam Clovis (7 percent), former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker (4 percent), and Navy veteran Scott Schaben (1 percent) trail the front-runners, while 40 percent of primary voters remain undecided. Although within the statistical margin of error, this is the first public poll showing Ernst leading in the GOP Primary.

With only a 2-point lead and a plurality of voters undecided, the June 3 primary is a toss-up. But this poll is a big improvement for Ernst, who was trailing Jacobs by 7 points before airing her first TV ad.

You can read more about Ernst, an Iraq war veteran and mother of three, in a recent issue of THE WEEKLY STANDARD.

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