Elections

Democratic Senate Candidate Josh Turek listens as former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) speaks at a campaign event at the Noethe Brother's family farm on November 01, 2026 in Westside, Iowa. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

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Democrat Josh Turek has won the U.S. Senate race in Iowa, according to a race call by The Associated Press. His win ends more than a decade of Republican control of both Senate seats in the state.

Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs, beat Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson. He flipped one of the country's most competitive U.S. Senate seats, replacing retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, who announced she would not be seeking a third term last fall.

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Turek is a two-time gold medalist playing basketball in the Paralympics. He uses a wheelchair due to spina bifida, a condition he says is due to his father's exposure to Agent Orange in the Vietnam War. He was a relatively unknown state lawmaker who beat Zach Wahls, the former state Senate minority leader, to get the Democratic nomination in June.

Turek, who calls himself a "prairie populist," campaigned hard on healthcare reform, attacking Hinson for her support of Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which reduces Medicaid spending nationwide by nearly $1 trillion, and claims that Hinson's personal wealth has increased significantly during her time in Washington.

Both Hinson and Turek emphasized their ability as bipartisan lawmakers to try to sway the state's large number of uncommitted voters, but increased their attacks against their opponents, especially as polling data started to indicate a close race.

As President Trump's approval ratings fell, Iowa's race became more competitive. The state's large agricultural industry in particular has been hit hard by Trump's tariffs and increased diesel prices due to the war in Iran. Hinson seemed to walk a fine line with voters, as some Republicans running for office started distancing themselves from Trump. By summer, the race was considered a toss-up.

The race was one of the most expensive in the country. Federal spending data shows that together, the candidates raised more than $30 million. Outside groups contributed more than $100 million to the race, according to Open Secrets.

In the final quarter of the election, Turek significantly outraised his opponent Hinson, a former TV journalist who was considered a rising star in Iowa politics. Hinson was initially considered a front-runner to replace Ernst and received President Trump's endorsement shortly after she announced her candidacy in a state that has voted for President Trump three times. Trump carried Iowa by a 13-point margin in 2024.

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