Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) recent controversial remarks on Medicaid are threatening to become a political liability for the incumbent as she faces reelection next year.

Ernst drew the ire of Democrats when she responded to concerns about potential Medicaid cuts by saying “we all are going to die.” Despite the swift backlash, Ernst doubled down on the remarks in a sarcastic video posted Saturday on social media in which she appeared to be recording from a cemetery.

While the second-term senator has been a formidable candidate and will benefit from the conservative lean of her state, some Republicans acknowledge the comments could follow her into the midterms.

"It is very, very early, but there is no question that that comment from Sen. Ernst will be on Iowa airwaves for the better part of the next 15 months,” said one Iowa Republican strategist.

The election handicapper Sabato’s Crystal Ball on Tuesday shifted Ernst’s race slightly toward Democrats — from safe to likely Republican — citing her recent comments and a new challenge from Democratic state Rep. JD Scholten, who said the senator’s remarks spurred him to jump in.

Another GOP strategist acknowledged the risk posed by Ernst’s comments but added the political climate next year is going to ultimately have a greater impact on the race.

“It probably wasn’t helpful, and the cleanup wasn’t helpful,” the strategist said. “But the race, presuming it’s these two candidates on the ballot, isn’t going to be decided by Sen. Ernst’s comments in 2025. It’s going to be more influenced on where the country’s at.”

Ernst had pushed back against constituents who shouted at the Butler, Iowa, town hall event that cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would cause people to die.

“Well, we all are going to die,” the senator responded, as she defended a House-passed budget reconciliation package that proposes

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