Josh Turek wins Iowa’s US Senate seat from Republicans

Democrat Josh Turek has defeated Republican US Representative Ashley Hinson for Iowa’s open Senate seat, changing it from Republican to Democratic control. Hinson told supporters she had conceded and congratulated Turek on a “very hard fought campaign.”

Turek will succeed Republican Joni Ernst, who is retiring after two Senate terms. The last Democrat to win the seat was Tom Harkin, who secured his final term in 2008.

In 2020, Ernst won a second term by defeating Democrat Theresa Greenfield by 6.6 percentage points.

The Fox News Decision Desk projected Turek as the winner. The pickup strengthens Democrats’ effort to retake control of the Senate; it does not by itself decide control of the chamber.

The candidates and their campaigns

Turek has served as an Iowa state representative since 2023. A two-time Paralympic gold medalist, he played professional wheelchair basketball in Europe and has spoken about his experience accessing health care.

He campaigned on pushing for lower prescription drug costs, more affordable housing, a higher minimum wage and a federal ban on food price gouging. His platform also called for restoring Medicaid funding, protecting Affordable Care Act subsidies and supporting rural hospitals. These were campaign commitments, not adopted policies.

Hinson campaigned on tax relief, border security, parental involvement in schools and support for agriculture and biofuels. President Donald Trump endorsed her; he carried Iowa in three consecutive presidential elections.

After conceding, Hinson said the campaign was behind them and called for putting politics aside to solve problems for Iowa’s families and farmers.