Why is it so rare for women to leave the U.S. Senate voluntarily?
In short: When Iowa Republican Joni Ernst announced she would not seek a third term, she joined a very small group of women. While many female senators fight to retain their seats, a sudden departure after just two terms is a statistical rarity in the upper chamber.
In the history of the U.S. Senate, women who win election to the chamber rarely choose to step down after only one or two terms. Data shows that more than seven in eight women serving their first or second terms have sought reelection. Before Kyrsten Sinema left, no other female senator elected to the role had opted against seeking another term following just one or two mandates, except for Oregon's Maurine Neuberger.
The landscape of female leadership in the Senate is characterized by persistence. Of the 64 women to have served in the Senate, 49 won their seats via the ballot box. Many who reached the two-term milestone, such as Senators Barbara Mikulski, Dianne Feinstein, and Amy Klobuchar, successfully transitioned into third terms. Conversely, those who failed to retain their seats include one-termers like Paula Hawkins and Carol Moseley Braun, and two-termers like Blanche Lincoln.
Joni Ernst's decision to retire at the end of her current term follows a pattern of recent departures. She is part of a trio of women—alongside Democrats Tina Smith of Minnesota and Jeanne Shaubeen of New Hampshire—announced to retire at the end of this term. Her exit, announced on September 2, 2025, provides a potential opening for Democrats seeking to flip seats in the 120th Congress.
Ernst's career prior to the Senate included serving as a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard and as the Montgomery County Auditor. Her tenure in the Senate has been marked by roles such as chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee and advocacy for reforms to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How Unusual Is Joni Ernst’s Exit? - Smart Politics
- Also: Joni Ernst
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