State Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympics gold medalist and former wheelchair basketball player, clinched the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s U.S. Turek, who has twice won a state house district that backed President Donald Trump, will face Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Trump ally, in the general election.
June 2, 2026
VoteVets
Turek secured 63% of the vote over Wahls with 40% of precincts reporting, bolstered by $9.7 million in advertisements from the super PAC VoteVets. The group, which typically supports veterans, cited Turek’s childhood diagnosis of spina bifida due to his father’s exposure to Agent Orange as a rationale for its intervention. Wahls, the former front-runner, had the backing of Sen. Elizabeth Warren and labor unions but faced criticism from within the Democratic Party for his progressive stance, with figures like former Sen. Tom Harkin endorsing Turek as a more electable candidate.
Ashley Hinson
Joni Ernst
The open Senate seat was vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Joni Ernst, who chose not to seek re-election. Democrats now aim to capitalize on Iowa’s shifting dynamics, with state Auditor Rob Sand also running for governor as a moderate candidate.
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