Democrat Josh Turek has won Iowa’s U.S. Senate race, according to a call by the Associated Press. He defeated Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson to take a seat held by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst, ending more than a decade of Republican control of both Senate seats in the state.
Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs, flipped one of the country’s most competitive Senate races. Ernst announced last fall that she would not seek a third term. Turek won the Democratic nomination in June, beating former state Senate minority leader Zach Wahls.
A two-time Paralympic gold medalist in basketball, Turek uses a wheelchair because of spina bifida. He has said his condition was caused by his father’s exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Turek describes himself as a “prairie populist” and made healthcare reform a central issue in his campaign.
He criticized Hinson for supporting President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which reduces Medicaid spending nationwide by nearly $1 trillion, and questioned the increase in her personal wealth during her time in Washington. Both candidates presented themselves as bipartisan lawmakers seeking support from Iowa’s many undecided voters, while sharpening their attacks as the race tightened.
The contest became more competitive as Trump’s approval ratings fell. Iowa’s agricultural industry was also affected by his tariffs and higher diesel prices linked in the source report to the war in Iran. By summer, the race was considered a toss-up.
The campaign was among the country’s most expensive Senate races. Federal spending data showed the candidates raised more than $30 million combined, while outside groups contributed more than $100 million, according to OpenSecrets. Turek significantly outraised Hinson in the final quarter. Hinson, a former television journalist, had initially been seen as a front-runner and received Trump’s endorsement shortly after entering the race.
Sources: NPR News.