According to the Washington Examiner, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, 48, is “in the process” of divorcing her husband Gail after more than 25 years of marriage.
An official statement from her office announced the situation publically.
“Senator Ernst and her husband, Gail, are in the process of divorcing,” Ernst’s office said in a statement. “They remain committed to their children and family, and ask for respect for their privacy during this difficult time.”
Sen. Ernst was the very first female combat veteran to be elected to the United States Senate in 2014. A strong Republican conservative, Sen. Ernst won her Senate seat with 53.1% of the vote.
It’s speculated that there is discord between Ernst and her husband that has led to serious marital issues, but nothing is certain at this time.
During Ernst’s 2014 electoral campaign for the Iowa Senate, her husband came under widespread scrutiny for his attacks against former U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton, calling her a “hag” and claiming he would shoot an unidentified “ex”.
“What do you do if you see your ex running around in your front yard screaming and bloody? Stay calm. Reload. And try again.”
“Truly more of a hag now than when she was 1st Lady!”
He also referred to former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano as a “traitorous skank”
“And am I suppose (sic) to give up my guns? As if! Traitorous skank!”
Ernst quickly condemned her husband’s comments in a critical public statement.
“I’m appalled by my husband’s remarks,” Joni Ernst said at the time. “They are uncalled for and clearly inappropriate. I’ve addressed this issue with my husband and that’s between us.”
There hasn’t been any confirmation as to why Ernst has filed for divorce against her husband. The comments her husband produced on social media likely damaged her political image, but there is no reason to believe that it had any significant impact on her to take them very seriously.
In 1993, Sen. Ernst married her husband Gail who is 17 years her senior. Gail’s previous marriage ended with a divorce shortly before he married Sen. Ernst, and he has two children from his earlier marriage. The former couple shares one daughter together.
Gail is a retired Command Sergeant Major for the U.S. Army Rangers and is currently working as an airport manager.
It isn’t clear of what stage the divorce is currently in, or if Sen. Ernst has served her husband with the divorce papers. However, more information will be posted as it becomes available.
Sen. Ernst will be up for reelection in 2020 for her Senate seat. Her public statement and refusal to disclose any specific details about her divorce indicates that this decision has been brewing for quite some time.
When the divorce is eventually finalized, Gail will have exited his second marriage. Still. both individuals look ready to move on with their lives and careers through this difficult time, and it’s apparent that their divorce will be settled privately once all of the conditions have been met.
