Watch: Joni Ernst Challenges Chuck Schumer Puppet Theresa Greenfield to Senate Debates

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) challenged on Monday Iowa Senate Democrat candidate Theresa Greenfield to six debates ahead of the November election, calling Greenfield a Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) puppet.

Ernst’s campaign released an ad with her in front of her motorcycle slamming Greenfield as a puppet for Schumer. The Iowa conservative called for six debates, two each month, before Iowans choose to reelect Ernst or vote for Greenfield.

Ernst said in the video:

You know, I haven’t heard Theresa Greenfield say one thing that Chuck Schumer hasn’t told her to say. And, that’s not what Iowans expect in a leader. So I’m challenging Ms. Greenfield to six debates. Two each month, starting in August. Let’s let Iowans hear what we have to say.

Iowa Republicans have criticized Greenfield’s lack of transparency on the campaign trail, while Ernst has visited all 99 of Iowa’s counties to meet and discuss the state’s issues with constituents.

Schumer has told Senate Democrat candidates to spend most of their time in a “windowless basement” while they blanket negative attack ads against incumbent Republicans.

Ernst recently attacked Greenfield’s silence on the “defund the police” movement.

She said in a statement on Monday that calls to defund the police are “dangerous”:

Let’s be clear: defunding the police is an absurd and radical position. Certainly improvements and changes are needed to make our communities safer, but liberals’ radical call to abolish, defund, and disband our men and women in blue is incredibly irresponsible and dangerous.

Although the Iowa Senate remains contentious, Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann noted in a press conference in June that Republicans have gained momentum ahead of the 2020 elections.

Kaufmann said that Republicans have narrowed the gap between the Democrats’ lead on voter registration over the last several months.

“We’ve seen is that we have gone from a 14,000 differential in February, and that’s a differential of 14,000 more Democrats than Republicans after the highly contested caucuses,” he said.

“We actually shaved off 10,000; we are now below 5,000. And so what we have here is an even playing field,” said Kaufmann.