Senator sees herself as an advocate for the state

DES MOINES - A year ago, she was a little-known state legislator from southwest Iowa.

About three months ago, she became the first woman elected to Congress in Iowa's history.

Two weeks ago, she delivered to a national audience her party's response to the president's State of the Union address.

Joni Ernst's political trajectory appears to be mirroring a space shuttle's launch, and the engines are still burning. Over the next two years, she has the opportunity to give Iowa a second conservative vote in the U.S. Senate, and she most likely will be a central figure as Republicans choose whom to compete for an open White House in 2016.

This week, Ernst took a quick timeout during a busy day of casting votes on the Keystone XL pipeline - she supports the project - to speak with The Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau about her rapid ascension, her role in the Iowa caucuses and the future of her service in the Iowa National Guard.

The following is excerpted that interview.

You attended last weekend's event in Des Moines at which roughly a dozen potential Republican presidential candidates spoke, unofficially kicking off the 2016 caucuses. How do you view your role in Iowa's first-in-the-nation selection process?

I see my role as being an advocate for Iowa, someone that will encourage our citizens to get involved in the caucus process, to go out and support the candidate of their choice, and really serving as someone with open arms for Iowa, welcoming different candidates into the state and making sure that they understand what's important to Iowans, making sure they understand the importance of meeting our everyday Iowans as they're out and engaged in their daily activities.

Another event that will help accomplish that goal is the Roast and Ride event you are planning for June 6.

That's a great way for me to stay in touch with my supporters. …

Of course, I ride a motorcycle, my husband rides a motorcycle, and we thought this was something that would be like a little destination trip for motorcyclists. And of course, everybody is welcome, not just those folks on a motorcycle.

We want them to come out and enjoy a hog roast and just have a lot of fun. But of course, we are getting different candidates, those that are looking at office in 2016.

There is some talk about you as a potential vice presidential candidate in 2016. Would you be interested in running on the ticket in 2016?

I'm flattered. But no, I just came through a statewide election. It's all about Iowa. I want to make sure that I'm being a huge advocate for Iowa.

How do you think the United States should respond to terrorist activity out of the Middle East, in particular from ISIS, also known at the Islamic State?

I do sit on the Armed Services Committee, so this is something that we are very intently looking at, whether it's ISIS, al-Qaida and other groups that are being radicalized. We do have to take a good look at what our national security strategy is.

And at this point, I don't see that we do have a comprehensive plan to deal with terrorism. So that is what we are looking at right now in the Armed Services Committee: What should our national security strategy be, and how do we handle the threat and the spread of terrorism?

We are working on a strategy, putting plans in place. There are a number of means that we can (use to) combat terrorism. One is by arming and equipping those that will oppose terrorist organizations. Another is by engaging neighbors in the region. …

Diplomatic strategy is always something that we should look at.

And if all else fails, then we do look at military action, such as we have with airstrikes against terrorist groups. It could involve boots on the ground.

I'm not saying that that's something I support right now. But if something is not done and we are not defeating this threat, then we need to take a really hard look at all of those options.

Do you hope to continue in the Iowa Army National Guard?

I am not in battalion command anymore. I did come out of command in the fall. So my role in the National Guard is not as time-commitment heavy as it had been as a commander.

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It does provide me with an interesting perspective when I'm sitting in the Armed Services Committee because I have been involved with soldiers and I see the repercussions to decisions that are made at the 30,000-foot level versus what actually happens at the lower levels with the soldiers.