GOP Sen. Joni Ernst, a key vote on Pete Hegseth's confirmation as secretary of defense, said Tuesday she is supporting his nomination.

Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense is one step closer to receiving the GOP votes he needs to sail through his Senate confirmation process after Republican Sen. Joni Ernst – once a critical holdout in her support of Pete Hegseth – revealed Tuesday she would indeed give his nomination the green light.

Ernst previously expressed an openness to supporting Hegseth after she had "encouraging conversations" with him last month, but held off on officially endorsing him until after the hearing.

Trump's got the bullhorn now to say, ‘MAGA nation is watching,’” said outgoing Dallas County Republican Party Chair Kelley Koch.

Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who had been seen as a key Republican skeptic of Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Defense Department, said she will support him after his performance at Tuesday’s confirmation hearing.

Iowa's Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said Tuesday she will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth to lead the U.S. Department of Defense, ending weeks of speculation about whether she would stand in opposition to President-elect Donald Trump.

Sen. Joni Ernst revealed she is officially supporting Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense after Tuesday's hearing.

Sen. Joni Ernst said she will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as the next secretary of defense, making the controversial nominee's path to the helm of the Pentagon more likely.

Legislation named after an Iowan killed in a drunken driving crash by an immigrant who was not legally authorized to be in the United States gained traction this week as the U.S. Senate moved ahead on a Republican-led immigration bill.

(ABC 6 News) — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst has found an ally across the aisle in helping pass “Sarah’s Law.” It is in honor of Sarah Root, who was killed by a drunk driver back in 2016. The bill is currently being considered as an amendment to the Laken Riley Act, which is on the Senate floor.

Three days ahead of Trump’s return to the White House, many of his most prominent Cabinet choices have sailed relatively unscathed through their hearings and are poised to win confirmation as Republican senators rallied around them and appeared largely unwilling to defy Trump’s wishes.