GOP senator: Dems need to worry about voting rights in their home states

Sen. Joni Ernst on Sunday pushed back strongly on the Democratic narrative on voting rights, arguing that Republicans care about the issue as much or more than Democrats.

“My point is that we have Democrats that are targeting red states like Iowa again, when our voter policies are far more liberal than blue states’ voting systems,” the Iowa Republican told host Martha Raddatz on ABC’s “This Week.”

Last week, Senate Democrats failed to advance legislation designed to solidify voting rights and improve access to the ballot box nationwide, particularly in the wake of recent legislation in numerous states that has been seen as making it harder to vote. Senate Republicans were unanimous in opposing the legislation, which they claimed would federalize the nation’s elections.

“Every state will put in place its own voting systems. Their election systems. That is a state’s right,” Ernst said.

Ernst said red states have nothing to be ashamed of in their efforts to improve election security.

“Even Iowa has been targeted by the left because they have changed their voter laws,” she said. “But I will also say that even with those changes in our law, our voting election systems are much more liberal than President Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware, as well as Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s home state of New York.”