©Copyright 2019, Des Moines Register and Tribune Co.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst’s approval rating has hit its highest point ever as she prepares for a 2020 re-election campaign, a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows.

Fifty-seven percent of Iowans say they approve of the job she’s doing — a 10 percentage-point increase since September. She earns approval from a majority of Iowans in each of the state’s four congressional districts.That includes a high of 65 percent in the Republican-heavy 4th District, in northwest and north central Iowa, and a low of 51 percent in the Democratic-leaning 2nd District, in southeast Iowa.

The poll of 803 Iowa adults was conducted by Selzer & Co. and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. It was conducted Feb. 10-13.

Ernst has similarly high favorability ratings. She is viewed favorably by 56 percent of Iowans, including 84 percent of Republicans, 52 percent of independents and 28 percent of Democrats, the poll shows.

“She’s pretty much sticking to what she said she was going to do,” said Kathryn Rogers, a 77-year-old Denver, Iowa, resident and independent voter. “I also think she isn’t afraid to speak out. I get the feeling that she really does want to do the best for Iowa.”

Ernst, a military veteran from Red Oak, became the first woman in Iowa elected to either chamber of Congress in 2014. That year, she defeated Democrat Bruce Braley to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, a veteran Democrat. She announced in December that she intends to seek re-election.

"I am running again,” she told reporters. “So to anyone who would like to step up and enter into that race, I say: ‘Bring it on.’”

Possible challenger Tom Vilsack well-liked

No other candidate, Republican or Democrat, has announced intentions to challenge Ernst.

Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, a Democrat, has downplayed speculation that he might enter the race but has not sworn off the possibility completely.

“Right now, the focus needs to be, for me, on making sure the party is prepared to do its job, relative to the caucuses, and to make sure that we have the kind of debate within the Democratic Party that will help us have a viable candidate in 2020 for president,” he told reporters in December.

A majority of Iowans — 53 percent — have a favorable view of Vilsack, who has a long history in the public eye. Vilsack also was U.S. secretary of agriculture under President Barack Obama and currently is the CEO and president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.

Sixty-nine percent of Democrats view Vilsack favorably along with 51 percent of independents and 48 percent of Republicans.

► Follow the Register on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

“I think he has the people’s interests at heart, and from what I’ve seen and heard, he’s done a lot of good things for the state,” said Sean Gourd, a 36-year-old construction worker from Newton who is a registered Republican.

Gourd said he also has a favorable view of Ernst for many of the same reasons. If the two ever appeared on the ballot at the same time, Gourd said he is unsure which one he would favor.

“I like both candidates, so that would be a tough one,” he said.

That crossover potential is what has some Democratic activists eager to see Vilsack enter the race against Ernst, who they see as a formidable incumbent.

The 68-year-old Vilsack is less known among Iowans who would have been no more than 14 years old when he was sworn in as governor in 1999. Thirty-six percent of those younger than 35 say they do not know enough about him to form an opinion. For those 55 and older, just 18 percent are unsure about the former governor.

Other potential challengers still lack name ID

Other Democrats who might consider a run — 2018 4th District congressional candidate J.D. Scholten and 2018 3rd District candidate Theresa Greenfield — have a bigger hurdle.

Despite gaining national attention as he sought to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King in Iowa’s 4th District, Scholten remains relatively unknown across Iowa.

Fourteen percent say they have a favorable view of him and 8 percent have an unfavorable view. That leaves 78 percent who say they do not know enough about Scholten to form an opinion.

In the 4th District, 26 percent view Scholten favorably and 13 percent view him unfavorably.

Scholten has remained active in Iowa politics following his November defeat, shepherding potential and declared presidential contenders across the 4th District and helping to launch a nonprofit focused on raising awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit.

► Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Des Moines Register.

Of a possible 2020 Senate run, he told the Des Moines Register in January that he’s “leaving things open.”

Greenfield launched a primary campaign last year in Iowa’s 3rd District, which includes Des Moines and stretches south and west to Council Bluffs. But she ended her bid after discovering her campaign manager allegedly forged some of the voter signatures needed to get on the ballot.

Greenfield remained active behind the scenes throughout the 2018 midterm elections and is among those Democrats being discussed for a 2020 Senate run.

Eight percent of Iowans view her favorably, 4 percent view her unfavorably and 88 percent are unsure. In the 3rd District, 8 percent view her favorably and 2 percent view her unfavorably.

Methodology

About this poll

The Iowa Poll, conducted February 10-13 for The Des Moines Register and Mediacom by Selzer & Co. of Des Moines, is based on telephone interviews with 803 Iowans ages 18 or older. Interviewers with Quantel Research contacted households with randomly selected landline and cell phone numbers supplied by Survey Sampling International. Interviews were administered in English. Responses were adjusted by age, sex, and congressional district to reflect the general population based on recent census data.

Questions based on the sample of 803 Iowa adults have a maximum margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. This means that if this survey were repeated using the same questions and the same methodology, 19 times out of 20, the findings would not vary from the true population value by more than plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Results based on smaller samples of respondents—such as by gender or age—have a larger margin of error.

Republishing the copyright Iowa Poll without credit to The Des Moines Register and Mediacom is prohibited.