Ernst kicks off final campaign tour in U.S. Senate race

ANKENY - Borrowing a phrase from one of her primary election opponents, Joni Ernst is asking supporters to do 'one more thing” as she tours the state making her final case to voters.

Ernst, a Republican state senator from Red Oak, is running for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat against Bruce Braley, a Democratic U.S. House member from Waterloo.

Ernst started her campaign-closing tour early this morning at a bagel and coffee shop in Ankeny. She is scheduled to make eight stops throughout central and Eastern Iowa today.

Ernst said the 'one more thing” theme came from Sam Clovis, who ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate and is now the Republicans' candidate for state treasurer.

'(Clovis) has been out there saying we as Iowans, we as Republicans, we can do one more thing. And that one more thing, whether it's a yard sign, that one more things whether it's a phone call, that one more thing whether it's knocking on your neighbor's door and getting them out to vote,” Ernst told the crowd. 'That one more thing: putting that ballot in the ballot box tomorrow. We have to get the vote out. That is the most important thing at this point.”

Roughly a couple dozen supporters packed into CJ's Bagel Basket to hear Ernst speak almost exactly 24 hours before the polls will open on Election Day.

'I like what she stands for,” said Gary Smidt, of Ankeny. 'I like her character. I see honesty and integrity, a caring individual, one who has, I think, the best interests and the best ideas.”

Dennis Gramentz, of Ankeny, said he likes Ernst's background as a mother, commander in the Iowa National Guard and state senator.

'I think she has an all-around resume,” Gramentz said. 'She's a family person, she's a military person, and she's a political person. She's well-rounded, has experience in all three areas.”

Cindy Goodrich, of Elkhart, said she supports Ernst and appreciates her stance against abortion.

'Everyone has their one big issue, and mine is protecting the unborn, and she stands strong on that,” Goodrich said.

Braley has six campaign events scheduled today in Eastern Iowa.

Most polls have showed the Ernst-Braley race extremely close. An Iowa Poll released over the weekend showed Ernst with a lead of seven percentage points, but a new Quinnipiac University Poll released this morning showed the race as a dead heat.

'Momentum is showing it's going in the right direction, but I have to work hard,” Ernst said. 'We've got one day left and I'm going to make sure we get out the vote.”