Joni Ernst Headlines Donald Trump VP Choices As GOP Continues To Court Female Voters
Joni Ernst is headlining a list of potential vice president choices for the presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, according to multiple media outlets this week.
Joni Ernst — a first-time U.S. Senator from Iowa elected in 2014 — has become an interesting option for VP because her selection could woo some female votes that might otherwise vote for Hillary Clinton, the presumed Democratic nominee seeking to become the first female president. Iowa’s largest newspaper — The Des Moines Register — labeled Joni as “intriguing” due to her political background.
“Ernst is an intriguing pick because she rose from obscurity with the help of an endorsement from Sarah Palin to score a surprising upset in 2014, beating both better-known Republican candidates and longtime Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley to take over the Senate seat of Democrat and liberal icon Tom Harkin.”
Joni Ernst an intriguing option as Trump's running mate: USA TODAY VP Power Rankings has… https://t.co/46LqErZiOu pic.twitter.com/8AYTrV0HKo
— Des Moines Daily (@desmoinesdaily) May 28, 2016
What Joni also brings to the table as a VP selection for Donald Trump is her military background. Ernst was deployed during the Iraq War as a member of the Army Reserve, ensuring the potential VP selection would strengthen another weakness that Donald Trump endures as a candidate with no military experience, according to the article.
“‘Ernst’s military background would help the ticket and could shore up support with Republican women,’ Iowa State University professor Dianne Bystrom said… Several of our [USA Today GOP Power Rankings] panelists suggested Ernst could blunt Trump’s weaknesses with female voters and also shore up support among conservatives who may have doubts about Trump’s core beliefs.”
Joni Ernst has consistently deflected the notion she’ll be chosen added the Donald Trump ticket as VP, telling Fox News in a recent interview that she only wants to maintain her focus on her home state instead of the possibilities that lie in her future.
“I am very, very focused on Iowa right now. I’m engaged in a 99-county tour across my state. I’m just very focused on what Iowans want to see as far as my work as a United States Senator. I have not been approached, and so I don’t want to dwell on the hypotheticals. I’m just going to stay focused on Iowa.”
Despite deflecting her potential as a VP pick, Joni Ernst took the time to combat the perception regarding how Donald Trump treats and talks about women. In this capacity, Joni Ernst already appeared ready to take on GOP dissenters for Donald Trump, a function customarily relegated to a presidential candidate’s VP pick.
“I would like to focus more so on his policy. We have seen within his own organization where he does have very strong women working in private industry. So I know that he appreciates the role that women play throughout his organization, and I’m excited to see that come to fruition as he moves into the presidency.”
Joni Ernst isn’t the only person being named as a potential VP candidate for the GOP ticket. After Ted Cruz and John Kasich suspended their presidential campaigns in May, former presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson revealed a shortlist of VP candidates for Donald Trump, the Inquisitr reported. While Joni Ernst didn’t make the list, several other prominent Republicans who recently ran for president did.
The Des Moines Register article suggested that Newt Gingrich — the former Speaker of the House during the 1990’s — could also be considered by Donald Trump for the VP role. Tennessee’s Bob Corker also joined Joni Ernst as the other current U.S. Senators to make the list of VP candidates by the USA Today GOP Power Rankings panelists.
What do you think about Joni Ernst being called one of the top VP choices for Donald Trump in 2016? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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