Democrat Turek Wins Iowa Senate Race

DES MOINES—Democratic state representative Josh Turek won Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat after a tight contest against Republican opponent Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa).

The Associated Press called the race at 10:35 p.m. CT.

October polls were a mixed bag, with Hinson and Turek each holding a small lead at times, but all were within the margin of error.

The Cook Political Report changed the race’s ranking from “Lean Republican” to “Toss Up” on Aug. 20.

Turek, an Iowa State representative and Paralympic gold medalist in Wheelchair Basketball, promised to cut taxes for working families, close loopholes for billionaires, impose a federal ban on food price gouging, and raise the minimum wage.

Hinson, the U.S. Rep. from Iowa’s Second Congressional District, campaigned on an agenda of lowering costs, helping families become homebuyers, making childcare more affordable, and strengthening rural hospitals.

“I just had a conversation with Josh Turek a short while ago, and I congratulated him on a very hard-fought campaign,” Hinson said at her watch party in Cedar Rapids on Nov. 3. “Josh and I, to put it mildly, disagree on a lot, but tonight I hope that we can agree on this, that the campaign is behind us, and the work of serving the people of Iowa remains ahead.”

President Donald Trump backed Hinson in the primary and has repeatedly voiced support for her and other Republican candidates in Iowa facing tight races.

“This November, I’m asking you to get out and vote for Ashley Hinson to be your next United States senator. She’s fantastic,” Trump said in a video on Truth Social. “Ashley is a proud mother and a fighter for hardworking families and farmers. She was a decisive vote in delivering the largest tax cuts in American history, including no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security for our great seniors.”

Turek had endorsements from former President Barack Obama and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

When both candidates were asked at their final debate whether they wanted farmer subsidies to be tied to reducing fertilizer runoff and lowering nitrates to keep Iowans safe, the candidates disagreed and had different approaches to the solution.

Hinson suggested Iowa needs to invest in water infrastructure.

Turek suggested more funding was needed for nitrate removal plants and proposed giving incentives to farmers who cover crops and build land barriers, and to avoid applying fertilizer in the winter months.

Turek has alleged that Iowa’s cancer crisis “is being driven by the water quality crisis.” However, state-funded research at the University of Iowa indicated most of the state’s above-normal rates for five cancers are caused by demographic and behavioral factors, such as smoking and binge drinking.

Both candidates have been touched by cancer in their family.

Hinson said she lost two aunts and a grandmother to cancer.

Turek lost his grandmother to pancreatic cancer, and his father and sister have battled cancer.

“Nearly the day I launched my campaign, my sister was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer,” Turek said during a debate hosted by WHO-13 on Oct. 13.