Republican Senator Joni Ernst has doubled down on her dismissive response to worries about huge cuts to Medicaid and food assistance.

On Friday, Ernst faced angry constituents at a town hall in Parkersburg, Iowa, with one woman in the crowd yelling, “People will die.”

Ernst replied, “People are not ― well, we all are going to die. So, for heaven’s sakes, folks.”

The retort was met with backlash and mockery. On Saturday afternoon, Ernst addressed the controversy with what may have initially appeared to some to be a genuine apology.

“Hello everyone, I........

© HuffPost