PoliticsPoliticsMichelle ObamaJoni Ernst

Joni Ernst Mocks Bruce Braley Over Michelle Obama Flub

Iowa Senate Candidate Mocks Bruce Braley Over Michelle Obama Flub
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Associate Booking Producer, HuffPost Live

Iowa Republican Senate candidate Joni Ernst says Michelle Obama's flub about Rep. Bruce Braley's (D-Iowa) name gave her campaign a boost.

The first lady made headlines last week after she referred to the four-term congressman as "Bruce Bailey" seven times.

During an interview on Sean Hannity's radio show Monday, Ernst poked fun at her opponent's endorsement speech gone wrong.

"Wow, that was great for my campaign." Ernst chuckled. "That's one of the first tenets of having somebody come in to stump for you. They really should know who you are."

Hannity laughed along with Ernst and took his own stab at a stump speech for the Republican candidate.

"I'd like to welcome 'Joni Earnests' to the podium to be the next senator for the great state of Iowa," Hannity said, while Ernst laughed in the background.

The first lady also mistakenly referred to Braley as a Marine Corps veteran who previously worked as a trial lawyer. She most likely intended to reference his father, Byard Braley, who fought in World War II at the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Hannity suggested Obama got confused with Ernst, who served over 20 years in the Iowa Army National Guard as a lieutenant colonel.

"She was very confused that she had to be corrected by the audience on his name as well as the fact that he's not a Marine," Ernst said. "He has never served his nation in the armed forces a single day."

Obama wasn't the only politician to confuse Braley's name. Former President Bill Clinton accidentally called Braley, "Bill" at a steak fry in September hosted by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa).

Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who stumped for Ernst last week, joked about Clinton's error in his speech.

"I know that Iowa voted for President Obama twice, but Iowa is not going to vote for 'Bill Braley' and vote for him a third time, that's for sure," said Romney.

Before You Go

Iowa Senate
Tom Williams via Getty Images
Iowa state Sen. Joni Ernst (R) appears to be picking up momentum in her bid to turn retiring Sen. Tom Harkin's (D) seat from blue to red. The Democratic nominee, Rep. Bruce Braley, has continued to suffer from the backlash over his comments about Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) background as a farmer. Democrats, however, think they can paint Ernst as extreme by highlighting her comments about the minimum wage, nullification of federal laws, Medicaid recipients, personhood legislation and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Alaska Senate
ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. Sen. Mark Begich (D) has worked to show he is independent from President Barack Obama's administration as he battles former state Attorney General Dan Sullivan, a Republican. The senator has opposed Obama's strategies to combat Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria and to expand background checks on gun sales. He has also disassociated himself from his party by remaining open to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.Republicans, on the other hand, have worked to tie Begich to the president, who is deeply unpopular in the state.
Colorado Senate
Mark Udall (Kent Nishimura via Getty Images)
Sen. Mark Udall (D) and Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) are locked in one of the closest races on this year's Senate map.Democrats have put Gardner on the defensive over his past support for personhood legislation, which would give legal rights to fetuses from the moment of fertilization. Republicans have continuously hit Udall over the Affordable Care Act, his energy policies and national security issues.
Arkansas Senate
Mark Pryor (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) is now the slight favorite in his race against Sen. Mark Pryor, the only Democratic member of his state's congressional delegation. The dialogue between the two candidates has moved from the farm bill and food stamps to the minimum wage and funding for pediatric research to the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision.
Kansas Senate
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The surprise race of this cycle is in Kansas, where Sen. Pat Roberts (R) may be edged out by independent Greg Orman, who insists he's disenchanted with both parties. Republicans are scrambling to paint Orman as a Democrat in disguise, but Roberts is still experiencing the fallout from a New York Times report that revealed that he doesn't maintain a permanent home in the state.
New Hampshire Senate
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) is fighting for re-election against former Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.).Democrats have done everything they can to ridicule Brown's candidacy, but President Barack Obama's unpopularity in the Granite State, as in other states, may hurt Shaheen on Nov. 4.
Louisiana Senate
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) is a political survivor, having won her last three Senate races by narrow margins. She'll need another miracle if the nonpartisan primary on Nov. 4. goes to a Dec. 6. runoff, as all of the GOP's energy will presumably be focused on putting Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) over the top, especially if control of Congress' upper chamber hinges on this race.Landrieu would need to significantly boost turnout in cities such as New Orleans to eke out a runoff win. Her brother is the mayor of New Orleans, though, so that could help.
North Carolina Senate
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sen. Kay Hagan (D) has so far held on against a challenge from North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis (R). Republicans have gone from being gleeful with expectations that they would take the seat to glum, as Democrats have worked to tar Tillis with the actions of the state legislature over which he presided. Republicans have called Hagan ineffectual, while Democrats have consistently highlighted Tillis' record on education spending, voting rights and abortion rights.
Kentucky Senate
Win McNamee via Getty Images
One of the Democratic Party's pickup opportunities is in Kentucky, but that possibility seems to be receding as Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) has been dropping off in the polls against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R). While McConnell's campaign has run ads touting his work on behalf of constituents and accused Grimes of being too close to Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Grimes has distanced herself from others in her party. Though McConnell remains unpopular in the state, Grimes would need heavy turnout to surpass him.
Georgia Senate
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The second of the Democrats' two pickup opportunities in red states is in Georgia, where nonprofit executive Michelle Nunn and businessman David Perdue (R) both hope to replace retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R). Both candidates have well-known surnames: Nunn's father is popular former Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), while Perdue's cousin is former Gov. Sonny Perdue (R). Democrats think they can turn the state purple with the help of groups like the New Georgia Project, led by Georgia state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams (D), which has collected tens of thousands of voter registration applications.
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