Local activist prompts national headlines from Sen. Ernst town hall

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

With reporting by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch

When Charles City resident India May drove to Parkersburg on Friday morning to attend a town hall meeting with U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, she had no idea she’d end up initiating a response from the senator that would make headlines across the nation.

May, library director at the Ionia Public Library and a registered nurse, said she has long been politically active as an advocate for various causes, and has recently been attending town hall sessions of politicians in the region to live stream them to her TikTok account.

Such was the case on Friday when the Ernst town hall in Parkersburg turned to the subject of spending cuts for Medicaid proposed by President Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress’ “big, beautiful” budget reconciliation bill, which narrowly passed the U.S. House earlier in May.

Ernst said she agrees with most of the provisions on Medicaid included in the House version of the budget reconciliation bill, saying that it was targeted at changes to the public health care program that “made it much easier to get onto Medicaid, but much tougher to take people off of Medicaid.”

Ernst said many people on Medicaid currently are working full-time and have access to other benefits.

“What we have to do is make sure that those that are not eligible by the federal standard for Medicaid are not receiving Medicaid,” Ernst said. “What we do need to do is make sure that those that are part of a vulnerable population have access to Medicaid and receive those full benefits. So what we’re trying to do is strengthen Medicaid by directing the dollars to the people that actually meet the requirements of the program.”

May, whose nursing background includes experience in home health, took exception to Ernst’s position.

“I’ve seen what poverty mixed with disability does already. I’ve had to help people make financial medical decisions that were really hard,” May told the Press on Monday. “There are these people who will slip through the cracks and I just get so angry.”

In its House form, the bill includes a $625 billion reduction in federal spending for Medicaid over 10 years, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. It also includes 80-hour-per-month work requirements for people between ages 19 and 65 to continue receiving Medicaid health coverage, with several exceptions for people with disabilities and complex medical conditions, pregnant people, tribal community members and parents of dependent children.

Though Ernst said the Senate would make changes to the measure and advance its own version of the legislation, she defended reductions in spending for Medicaid at the town hall, saying the changes will not impact people in need but will remove from the program “illegals that are receiving Medicaid benefits” and able-bodied adults who are not working.

“People will die,” shouted May at the stage as Ernst answered one of several questions about the cuts.

“People are not — well, we all are going to die, so for heaven’s sake,” Ernst said in a response that was met by further shouts and jeering from the crowd.

May said she was surprised by the senator’s response.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but I didn’t expect to be dismissed like that,” said May. “I suppose she dropped her mask it seemed. That she really doesn’t care if we live or die.”

May wasn’t the only one to find it shocking. Within a matter of hours Ernst was making headlines across the nation as political commentators zeroed in on the nihilistic answer. May has since spent the weekend watching the response to her impromptu outburst dominate the national news cycle.

“It was mind-blowing,” she said. “I had no idea that was the one moment that would catch and would get all the attention.”

Ernst doubled down on her response on Saturday, posting a sarcasm-laced apology video on Instagram while walking through a cemetery.

Meanwhile, Democratic Iowa state Rep. J.D. Scholten announced Monday that he would be challenging Ernst for her Senate seat in 2026.

As for May, she said the incident has accelerated her own political plans. On Saturday, May 31, May announced her intentions to run for Iowa House District 58 against State Rep. Charley Thomson.

“I decided to run against Charley for similar reasons. The attacks against public services, libraries and non-profit organizations has to stop.” said May. “I didn’t intend to announce this until the 14th, but this seemed like a good time to really get the word out.”

June 14, Flag Day, is scheduled for a nation-wide series of “No Kings” protests in opposition to President Trump’s planned military parade. May is organizing such a protest in Charles City.

“It’s kind of in my blood to be a little bit of a rabble rouser,” said May.

Portions of this story came from reporting by Iowa Capital Dispatch.

‘Well, we all are going to die’: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst defends Medicaid cuts at heated town hall