Iowa Sen. Ernst says she turned down Trump during VP search

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sen. Joni Ernst says she turned down Donald Trump after interviewing to be his running mate, according to a court filing that describes an "extremely painful journey" that led to her divorce from a man she alleges was abusive.

The Iowa Republican wrote in an affidavit in her divorce proceeding that was first reported by Cityview, a Des Moines alternative newspaper. She said that after Trump interviewed her in 2016 to join his ticket, "I turned Candidate Trump down, knowing it wasn't the right thing for me or my family."

She doesn't explicitly say if he offered her the job.

Ernst has indicated she'll run for a second six-year Senate term in 2020.