DES MOINES, IOWA — United States Senator Joni Ernst is responding to backlash from comments made about Medicaid cuts at a townhall in Parkersburg; and to concern about a video she made over the weekend.

Sen. Ernst made the comment of “we are all going to die”, when discussing with constituents last week cuts to Medicaid that are in the current budget bill.

Ernst then took to social media on Saturday, saying that she wanted to “sincerely apologize”. Ernst added in the video posted to social media that she thought everyone understood that everyone will perish from the earth. At the end of the video Ernst states that she was really glad that she didn’t have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy, pushing people to turn their faith to God.

On Monday a spokesperson with Sen. Ernst gave WHO 13 News the following statement:

“While Democrats fearmonger against strengthening the integrity of Medicaid, Senator Ernst is focused on improving the lives of all Iowans. There’s only two certainties in life: death and taxes, and she’s working to ease the burden of both by fighting to keep more of Iowans’ hard-earned tax dollars in their own pockets and ensuring their benefits are protected from waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Spokesperson for Sen. Joni Ernst (R)

The Iowa GOP Chair responded to the criticism of both the comments and the video:

“Anyone who knows Joni — especially the folks who heard her answer tough questions for over an hour — knows Dems and the Main Stream Media are purposefully replacing her core message because it helps their fear-mongering. But the fact is, without Senator Ernst taking a strong stand to protect the integrity of programs like Medicaid, Iowans would be worse off.”

Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann

The bill sits in the U.S. Senate chamber, after the U.S. House passed through the budget. That bill includes the cuts to Medicaid that are these comments are circling around.