Name: Theresa Greenfield to take on Joni Ernst in high-profile battle for U.S. Senate seat
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Theresa Greenfield to take on Joni Ernst in high-profile battle for U.S. Senate seat

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Des Moines RegisterView CommentsDemocrat Theresa Greenfield will take on Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst this November in a marquee matchup expected to be among the most competitive in the country.The race already has drawn tens of millions of dollars in outside spending — both from Democrats eager to capitalize on Ernst’s and from Republicans whose Senate majority hinges on a handful of vulnerable incumbents.“National Republicans have already made clear that they intend to make (Iowa) a priority,” said Jessica Taylor, an elections analyst with the Cook Political Report. “Which I think shows — as we see across the country — that Republicans are on the defensive.”Republicans currently hold a narrow 53- to 47-seat majority in the U.S. Senate and are defending incumbents in four states —&nbsp;Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina and Maine&nbsp;—&nbsp;who have been heavily targeted by Democrats.Democrats, who also are defending a vulnerable incumbent in Alabama, have sought to expand their path to the majority by dialing up efforts in states such as Iowa and Montana. Although not nearly as competitive as the top tier of races, Iowa is expected to be heavily contested by both parties.The powerful Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, recognizing Iowa’s importance in those efforts, backed Greenfield early in her primary race, which she won Tuesday with 47.8% of the vote.Greenfield defeated former Navy Adm. Mike Franken (25%), attorney and children’s advocate Kimberly Graham (15%), and businessman Eddie Mauro (11%). Ernst ran unopposed."I'm so excited tonight," Greenfield said Tuesday night in remarks delivered to supporters over Facebook Live. "We're going to celebrate this victory. And there's no doubt, this will be a tough fight. But an uphill battle has never stopped me before."Ernst, who is seeking her second term in the Senate, released a video thanking supporters Tuesday evening.“The president has called me ‘relentless’ as I fight for the things that matter most to Iowans, and I will continue to be your relentless fighter in the United States Senate,” she said. “I appreciate your support, and we are going to drive on to the general election. We are going to turn Iowa red — no doubt about it."Although Republican President Donald Trump won Iowa by 9 percentage points in 2016, Democrats say the environment is favorable for them in 2020. The party&nbsp;flipped two congressional seats in 2018, and polls show&nbsp;Ernst’s&nbsp;favorability and job approval ratings slipping.“I think if you look at the fundraising, the polling, the outside spending reservations — all the indicators are there that Iowa is positioned to be a toss-up race,” said Stewart Boss, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.Ashowed Ernst’s approval rating had fallen&nbsp;10 percentage points from a high of 57% in February 2019 to 47% in March.&nbsp;Still, a plurality —&nbsp;41% of likely voters — said they would definitely vote to re-elect her in November, while 31% said they would definitely vote for someone else.And according to the candidates’ most recent financial filings, Greenfield outraised Ernst for the six weeks beginning April 1. She reported raising nearly $1.5 million&nbsp;to Ernst’s $1.2 million.Greenfield is going into the general election with $4.7 million in cash on hand, compared with Ernst’s $7 million.However, Greenfield is still largely unknown, compared with&nbsp;Ernst. The same that showed Ernst's approval ratings falling showed seven in 10 Iowans didn't know enough about Greenfield to form an opinion of her.&nbsp;Among Iowans, 14% said&nbsp;they had&nbsp;a favorable view of Greenfield,&nbsp;and 13% said&nbsp;they had&nbsp;an unfavorable view. Among Democrats, 30% viewed her favorably, and 4% viewed her unfavorably.&nbsp;But the current political climate is likely to matter&nbsp;more than&nbsp;the particulars of each individual candidate, said Taylor, the analyst with the Cook Political Report.The president has been criticized for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and violent protests have erupted across the country over&nbsp;racial injustices. All of that could coalesce to help dictate political outcomes more than the campaigns' messaging, she said. And right now, she sees that climate slightly favoring Democrats."I think that's what sort of put this race a little bit more in play," Taylor said.But Republicans are quick to push back on the idea that Ernst is vulnerable. Her approval rating fell while outside groups, including the Senate Majority PAC, which is aligned with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, spent millions targeting her record.Nathan Brand, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Ernst&nbsp;is uniquely suited to addressing the current instability.“When you've got tested leadership and someone like Joni Ernst —&nbsp;who is the first female combat veteran to serve in the Senate, who has time and time again been through very challenging tests and has delivered —&nbsp;that's the kind of voice you're going to see Iowans turn to," he said.Greenfield, who grew up in a small town in Minnesota, has cast herself in ads and interviews&nbsp;as a "scrappy farm kid"&nbsp;— a trait her backers hope will help her match Ernst's folksy rural charm.Politically, she has positioned herself squarely at the center of the Democratic spectrum with a slate of more moderate policy proposals. She opposes "Medicare for All,"&nbsp;the Green New Deal and free college. But she supports a public option for health insurance, “urgent climate action” and debt-free access to community college and apprenticeships.Throughout the primary campaign, she rolled out a slew of endorsements from high-profile national groups such as EMILY’s List, powerful in-state unions such as AFSCME Council 61 and the American Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, and high-ranking elected officials such as&nbsp;U.S. Reps. Dave Loebsack and Abby Finkenauer. Greenfield argues those endorsements are evidence that she can build the broad coalition needed to win."You can't win an election alone here in Iowa,"&nbsp;she said in a May debate hosted by television station WHO in Des Moines. "You've got to build that strong team."But that status as a perceived front-runner&nbsp;also brought a wave of criticism from Greenfield's competitors —&nbsp;attacks that are likely to resurface during the general election.Mauro, who owns an insurance company and self-funded the bulk of his campaign, ran negative ads targeting some of Greenfield's business dealings and cast her as an ineffective leader."The early spending has been to boost Greenfield's name ID and to help her not only win the primary, but to define herself for the general election," Taylor said. "And so Republicans are going up on air very soon, and they'll want to define Greenfeld in a different way.”The Ernst campaign and other Republican groups have begun casting Greenfield as “unprepared” to lead —&nbsp;a contrast they hope to draw with Ernst’s experience., Ernst has spotlighted her efforts to&nbsp;modernize and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, combat sexual assault in the military and secure&nbsp;year-round access to gasoline with higher blends of ethanol, known as E15."Knowing&nbsp;how unpredictable the next five months are going to be, one thing for sure is Joni has been tested," said Brand with the NRSC.&nbsp;"You know that she's prepared, she's got a record she can point to, and, as of today as we enter this stretch, she's in a very strong position."Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at .Support reporters who follow your government by becoming a subscriber. 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Des Moines RegisterView CommentsDemocrat Theresa Greenfield will take on Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst this November in a marquee matchup expected to be among the most competitive in the country.The race already has drawn tens of millions of dollars in outside spending — both from Democrats eager to capitalize on Ernst’s and from Republicans whose Senate majority hinges on a handful of vulnerable incumbents.“National Republicans have already made clear that they intend to make (Iowa) a priority,” said Jessica Taylor, an elections analyst with the Cook Political Report. “Which I think...

Theresa Greenfield to take on Joni Ernst in high-profile battle for U.S. Senate seat

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