Ernst ‘very offended’ by Harkin comments

Iowa Senate candidate Joni Ernst (R) said Monday that she is “very offended” over comments from outgoing Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) that suggested she’s leading many polls because she’s attractive.

{mosads}“I think its unfortunate that he and many of their party believe that you cant be a real woman if you are conservative and you are female,” she said Monday on Fox News.

At an event last week, Harkin warned voters not to be fooled by Ernst, whom he called “really attractive.” Harkin also said Ernst “sounds nice.”

“I don’t care if she’s as good looking as Taylor Swift or as nice as Mr. Rogers, but if she votes like Michele Bachmann, she’s wrong for the state of Iowa,” Harkin said.

During the Fox interview, Ernst agreed with the show’s hosts that the media is downplaying the comments, and that Harkin’s comments would have been a bigger story if the roles were reversed.

“I think the press would have been all over this this morning, they would not have let that go,” she said. “If my name has been John Ernst attached to my resume, Sen. Harkin would not have said those things.”

Ernst also echoed her previous remarks that the Democrats’ push to hit the GOP as unwelcoming to women is a “phony war.”

Her comments come as she leads most polls against Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) with less than 24-hours until Election Day. Ernst called getting elected “my great hope” and said that her first three priorities will be a repeal and replace of ObamaCare, balancing the budget and reevaluate the tax code if she’s elected.

-This post was updated at 12:34p.m.