Politics

Iowa Senate Candidate Nails the Sarah Palin Sensibility

"I'm Joni Ernst. I grew up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm," says the U.S. Senate candidate from Iowa in her first campaign ad, released Tuesday. Today, Sarah Palin endorsed Ernst on her Facebook page, praising her "pork cutting" skills. 

By Allie Jones
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"I'm Joni Ernst. I grew up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm," says the U.S. Senate candidate from Iowa in her first campaign ad, released on Tuesday. Today, Sarah Palin endorsed Ernst on her Facebook page, praising her "pork cutting" skills.

Ernst has Palin's backwoods, Mama Grizzly sensibility nailed in her first ad — Ernst notes she's a mother first. She's a true conservative, not a RINO. And she's not afraid to cut pork barrel spending in Washington. "Let's make them squeal," Ernst says, with a knowing glint in her eye. She's not referring to pigs in this instance. The ad is basically a 30-second version of Palin's 2008 RNC convention speech, if you swap out moose hunting for pig castrating and snowmobiles for Harleys. It's already hit the late-night joke factory.

During his Tuesday night monologue, Jimmy Fallon riffed, "I'm Joni Ernst, and I grew up throwing battery acid in people's faces. Wait, what?" But this is the kind of reaction Palin loves. Ernst is a real Iowa mom — a true patriot — who will bring farm girl politics to Washington and the lame-stream media.

"Joni is a veteran of the Iraq war and continues her service as a Lt. Colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard. She’s been a fighter for freedom both in and out of uniform," Palin writes on Facebook. "Iowa – come together and send this Midwest Mama Grizzly roaring to Washington on her Harley so she can join with the good guys to get our country back on track!"

Ernst is gunning to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. If she wins the crowded Republican primary, she'll face current Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley in the general election. In a March 13 Quinnipiac poll, Braley led Ernst 42 to 29. That was before she started talking about cutting people's balls off.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.