Senator Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, plans to announce that she will not seek re-election next year, people familiar with her decision have told multiple U.S. media outlets.

The decision, first reported by CBS News, would open up another race that may be very close in Iowa, months after Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she would not seek reelection either.

White House officials had expected Ernst to run again, rather than join other Republicans leaving the Senate, including Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, according to CBS News.

Ernst has told people close to her that she only intended to serve two terms, has met that goal, and plans to join the private sector, according to one of the sources.

Ernst garnered national attention earlier this summer when her comments at a town hall sparked a controversy.

Ernst responded to a participant who claimed that “people are going to die” because of GOP Medicaid cuts being pushed in Congress by saying, in part, that “we’re all going to die.”

Up to date Next, he sarcastically apologized, saying he assumed everyone knew “we’re all going to disappear from this Earth” and that he was glad he didn’t have to mention the Tooth Fairy as well.