The 2020 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Iowa, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. Primaries were held on June 2. Incumbent Republican Senator Joni Ernst won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic nominee Theresa Greenfield.
Most experts and pollsters considered this race and the concurrent presidential race as a tossup because of incumbent president Donald Trump's low approval ratings and Ernst's own popularity dropping in polls, partly due to a viral moment in a debate where she did not know the break-even price for soybeans. Despite this, Ernst was reelected by a larger-than-expected 6.6 points, while Trump simultaneously won the state with a bigger yet similarly unexpected margin of victory. Ernst carried an overwhelming majority of the state's counties including many rural ones, while Greenfield carried only eight counties: Polk, Linn, Scott, Johnson, Black Hawk, Story, Cerro Gordo and Jefferson.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Joni Ernst, incumbent U.S. senator
Withdrawn
Democratic primary
On June 2, 2020, Theresa Greenfield won the Democratic primary with 47.71% of the vote, defeating three other major candidates, including Michael Franken, a retired U.S. Navy admiral and former aide to U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy.
Candidates
Nominee
- Theresa Greenfield, businesswoman, candidate for Iowa's 3rd congressional district in 2018
Eliminated in primary
- Michael Franken, retired U.S. Navy admiral and former aide to U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy
- Kimberly Graham, child welfare attorney
- Eddie Mauro, businessman, teacher, candidate for Iowa's 3rd congressional district in 2018
Withdrawn
- Cal Woods, journalist and U.S. Navy veteran (endorsed Michael T. Franken) (remained on ballot)
Declined
- Cindy Axne, incumbent U.S. representative for Iowa's 3rd congressional district (running for reelection, endorsed Greenfield)
- Chet Culver, former governor of Iowa
- Deirdre DeJear, nominee for secretary of state of Iowa in 2018
- Abby Finkenauer, incumbent U.S. representative for Iowa's 1st congressional district (running for reelection, endorsed Greenfield)
- Amber Gustafson, candidate for the Iowa Senate in 2018 (endorsed Greenfield)
- Rita Hart, former state senator and nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa in 2018 (running in Iowa's 2nd congressional district)
- Rob Hogg, state senator
- Liz Mathis, state senator
- Rob Sand, Iowa state auditor
- J.D. Scholten, nominee for Iowa's 4th congressional district in 2018 (running in Iowa's 4th congressional district)
- Tom Vilsack, former governor of Iowa and former U.S. secretary of agriculture
- Stacey Walker, Linn County supervisor (endorsed Graham)
- Steve Warnstadt, former state senator and intelligence officer in the Iowa Army National Guard
Endorsements
Michael Franken
Federal officials
- Chuck Hagel, former U.S. secretary of defense (2013–2015) and U.S. senator from Nebraska (1997–2009) (Republican)
Kimberly Graham
Theresa Greenfield
Federal officials
- Sherrod Brown, U.S. senator from Ohio
- Abby Finkenauer, U.S. representative (IA-01)
- Gabby Giffords, former U.S. representative (AZ-08) (2007–2012)
- Dave Loebsack, U.S. representative (IA-02)
- Barack Obama, former U.S. president
State officials
- Marti Anderson, state representative
- Tony Bisignano, state senator
- Joseph Bolkcom, state senator
- Robert Dvorsky, former state senator (1995–2019) and state representative (1987–1995)
- Ro Foege, former state representative (1996–2008)
- John Forbes, state representative
- Bruce Hunter, state representative
- Pam Jochum, state senator and former Iowa Senate president (2013–2017)
- Bob Kressig, state representative
- Monica Kurth, state representative
- Jim Lykam, state senator
- Mary Mascher, state representative
- Jo Oldson, state representative
- Sally Pederson, former lieutenant governor (1997–2007)
- Janet Petersen, state senator and Senate minority leader
- Amanda Ragan, state senator
- Joe Riding, former state representative (2013–2015)
- Sharon Steckman, state representative
- Kristin Sunde, state representative
- Zach Wahls, state senator
- Cindy Winckler, state representative
Individuals
- Jon Bauman, Social Security Works PAC president and former Sha Na Na member (1970–1983)
- Andy McGuire, former Iowa Democratic Party chair
- Christie Vilsack, former Iowa First Lady (1997–2007)
Unions
- American Federation of Government Employees
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 61
- International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 89, 67, 111, 577, 21
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Iowa State Conference
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 238
- United Food and Commercial Workers Local 431
Organizations
- Brady Campaign
- DSCC
- EMILY's List
- End Citizens United
- Feminist Majority PAC
- Giffords
- League of Conservation Voters
- NARAL Pro-Choice America
- Population Connection
Other candidates
Libertarian Party
Nominee
- Rick Stewart, Libertarian nominee for the 2018 Iowa secretary of agriculture election and independent candidate for the 2014 United States Senate election in Iowa
Independents
Declared
- Suzanne Herzog, economist and former ER nurse
General election
Major media described the campaign as one of the most likely to decide control of the Senate after the 2020 election. Polls conducted after the primary showed a close contest between Greenfield and Ernst, with neither candidate leading by more than 4 points.
Through June 2020, Greenfield had raised $11.5 million, compared to $14.6 million for Ernst but by September, Greenfield had pulled ahead, raising $40.0 million compared to $21.6 million for Ernst. The race was expected to be the most expensive in the state's history, and the second most expensive Senate race in the United States, after the 2020 United States Senate election in North Carolina, in which Cal Cunningham challenged Thom Tillis.
Additional general election endorsements
Joni Ernst (R)
Organizations
- Campaign for Working Families
- Huck PAC
Theresa Greenfield (D)
Polling
Graphical summary
%support01020304050602020/05/012020/09/142020/10/112020/11/02Theresa GreenfieldJoni ErnstOther/UndecidedOpinion polling for the 2020 United States S...
Results
By county
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Clinton (largest municipality: Clinton)
- Des Moines (largest municipality: Burlington)
- Dubuque (largest municipality: Dubuque)
- Floyd (largest municipality: Charles City)
- Howard (largest municipality: Cresco)
- Lee (largest municipality: Fort Madison)
- Worth (largest municipality: Northwood)
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Scott (largest municipality: Davenport)
By congressional district
Ernst carried all four congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat.