Chamber of Commerce endorses Ernst for reelection

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Friday announced its support for Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) for reelection, adding her to the list of Republican Senate incumbents the powerful lobbying group is backing.

Democrat Theresa Greenfield is running to unseat Ernst, who has served in the Senate since 2015. Ernst was trailing Greenfield by 3 points in a Des Moines Register poll last week.

“As our country faces many challenges and is collectively working to not just reopen our economy, but return to growth and expanded opportunities for all Americans, we need leaders like Senator Joni Ernst. She has a proven track record of leading responsibly and standing up for good policies,” Chamber CEO Thomas Donohue said in a statement.

He also touted Ernst’s focus on free enterprise in the endorsement.

The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, considers Ernst’s race a “toss-up.”

The Chamber has endorsed Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) — other senators locked in difficult reelection races.

The business group has also recently endorsed incumbent GOP Sens. John Cornyn (Texas), Cindy Hyde-Smith (Miss.), Ben Sasse (Neb.), James Inhofe (Okla.) and Mike Rounds (S.D.).

The group also endorsed former Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who is running for retiring Sen. Mike Enzi’s (R-Wyo.) seat, and former Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty, who is running for retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander’s (R-Tenn.) seat.