Josh Turek wins nomination for Senate seat, setting up showdown with Ashley Hinson
State Rep. Josh Turek of Council Bluffs won the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, defeating state Sen. Zach Wahls of Coralville in one of the state’s most closely watched primary contests.
Multiple news outlets called the race for Turek early Tuesday evening. With about 85% of the vote counted, Turek led Wahls by more than 47,000 votes — a convincing 63% to 37%.
The Democratic primary pitted two state lawmakers offering competing visions for how Democrats can return to statewide competitiveness in Iowa.
Turek centered his campaign on economic populism, working-class messaging and his ability to win crossover support in Republican-leaning areas, while Wahls cast himself as an antiestablishment progressive willing to challenge both Republicans and Democratic Party leadership.
“Iowa sure does love an underdog,” he told supporters at the Iowa Democratic Party’s election night watch party in Des Moines. “… If you are tired of this rigged system only looking out for billionaires and leaving the rest of us behind, then join us. Whether you are Republican, an independent, or Democrat, there is room here for you and our campaign. Together we can win this race, and together we can change this state and change this country.”
Turek said he believed voters were responding to concerns about affordability, health care and economic insecurity.
“Iowans are burdened,” he said. “Families are struggling just to keep food on the table and a roof above their heads. Farmers are living in constant fear for closure.”
The Council Bluffs Democrat pointed to rising costs, hospital and school closures, a shortage of healthcare providers and concerns about water quality as evidence that Iowa is moving in the wrong direction.
“We have a cancer crisis, a water quality crisis,” Turek said. “This is not the Iowa that I grew up in.”
Democrat Josh Turek visits with voters during a campaign event at a Cedar Rapids home on May 17. Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs, advances to the Nov. 3 general election against Republican Ashley Hinson.
Hinson cruises by
In the Republican primary, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson of Marion easily defeated former state Sen. Jim Carlin, securing the nomination and setting up a November showdown with Turek.
With 86% of the votes counted, Hinson led Carlin by about 96,500 votes — 74% to about 26%
In a statement Tuesday night, Hinson credited voters across the state for her primary victory and pledged to continue focusing on affordability and government reform.
Iowa Republican U.S. Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson reacts after winning the primary Tuesday at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center in Cedar Rapids. Hinson will face Democratic nominee Josh Turek in November for the U.S. Senate.
“It has been working Iowans from all 99 counties — and I’ve visited every single one of them — who powered this campaign and delivered a resounding victory tonight,” Hinson said.
Turek praises Wahls
Addressing supporters after his victory, Turek framed the race as a fight for working-class Iowans and argued that voters are looking for change amid economic and health care challenges facing the state.
State Rep. Josh Turek of Council Bluffs won the Democratic nomination for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, defeating state Sen. Zach Wahl…
He called on Democrats to unite after the primary, praising Wahls as “an exceptional representative” and urging his supporters to join the general election effort against Hinson.
He congratulated Wahls on running a strong campaign.
“I am grateful for this primary. It has made me a stronger candidate,” he said. “To Zach supporters, I know I was not your first choice, but I ask each and every one of you to join our campaign to push for change. Together, we are going to build an Iowa that people move to, not away from.”
The Council Bluffs lawmaker also highlighted his personal story, describing himself as the son of a working-class family who was born with spina bifida linked to his father’s exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Turek said his experiences overcoming disability and competing in four Paralympic Games shaped his view of public service.
“My story is truly the American dream,” Turek said. “Only in America is that possible. And I am running for the United States Senate to protect that American dream for future generations.”
Turek sharply criticized Hinson, accusing the congresswoman of backing policies that increased health care costs, hurt farmers and threatened reproductive rights. He pledged to fight for higher wages, affordable health care, campaign finance reform and a ban on members of Congress and their families trading stocks.
“I will be senator for all Iowans, whether you voted for me today or not, whether you support me in November or not,” Turek said. “I will fight for you, all of you, no matter what.”
The victory caps a months-long campaign in which Turek, a four-time Paralympian and two-time gold medalist in wheelchair basketball, argued Democrats must compete in every corner of Iowa and reconnect with working-class voters.
Wahls, meanwhile, built his campaign around a message of “putting Iowans over insiders,” criticizing millions of dollars in outside spending supporting Turek and arguing Democrats needed a nominee willing to take on powerful interests in both parties.
State Sen. Zach Wahls gives a brief concession speech Tuesday night in Iowa City and endorses his Democratic primary opponent, Josh Turek, for the U.S. Senate seat in the general election.
Wahls’ concession
In accepting defeat Tuesday, Wahls promptly pivoted from opponent to proponent of Turek.
“Josh and I competed hard against each other, as you should in a primary,” Wahls told his supporters inside an Iowa City brewery about 9 p.m. “We had real disagreements, and scripture tells us that iron sharpens iron. But while our primary has made us both sharper, it has not made us colder. We’ve gotten to know each other a lot better, even as we competed against each other. Josh is a good man.
State Sen. Zach Wahls speaks Tuesday night in Iowa City after losing the Democratic primary election for U.S. Senate to state Rep. Josh Turek.
“And he will be an infinitely better United States senator than Ashley Hinson.”
Turning his attacks on Hinson, Wahls criticized her support of President Donald Trump and his tariffs and cuts to social security and Medicaid.
“Iowans deserve a senator who is not for sale because we can’t afford Ashley Hinson,” Wahls said. “I’ll just say this. I know that Josh can beat her, and, with our help, I know that he will.”
Zach Wahls addresses a crowd of supporters after Josh Turek wins the Iowa Democratic Senate primary. Wahls spoke at ReUnion Brewery in Iowa Ci…
Looking ahead
The race received a boost from one of the nation’s leading nonpartisan election forecasters. Following Turek’s primary victory, the Cook Political Report moved Iowa’s Senate race from “Likely Republican” to “Lean Republican,” signaling a more competitive contest heading into the fall.
In an analysis published Tuesday night, Cook Political Report’s Jessica Taylor wrote that Iowa’s political environment has become more favorable for Democrats amid backlash to tariffs and rising fuel and fertilizer costs tied to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Taylor also pointed to the competitiveness of Iowa’s governor’s race and several congressional contests as factors contributing to the rating change.
“National Democrats believe that Turek’s life story will resonate with independent and disaffected GOP voters,” Taylor wrote, noting Democrats had strongly backed the Council Bluffs lawmaker during the primary campaign.
The rating shift comes despite Hinson’s fundraising advantage and established statewide profile, underscoring expectations that the race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst will attract significant national attention and spending in the months ahead.
Among Democrats gathered at the Iowa Democratic Party’s election night watch party in Des Moines, several voters said Turek’s personal story and perceived general election strength helped earn their support.
Tanya Keith, 54, of Des Moines, said she was drawn to both Turek’s message and his resilience.
“I like his politics, but I love his spirit,” Keith said, citing the candidate’s disability and determination on the campaign trail.
Keith said she had been undecided between Turek and Wahls but was turned off by Wahls’ criticism of outside Democratic spending in the race.
“I felt like we’re all on the same team at the end,” Keith said. “If you can’t defeat him on the merits of your arguments, it just wasn’t what kind of issue that I care about.”
Doug Jotzke, 56, of Des Moines, said electability ultimately drove his decision.
“I think Turk has the ability to do that. He’s shown it in the past,” Jotzke said, arguing Turek’s record winning elections in western Iowa and his personal story would make him a stronger general election candidate.
Tiffany Welch, 46, of Clive, said she initially supported former primary candidate Nathan Sage and was influenced by Sage’s endorsement of Turek. Welch said she viewed Turek as more relatable to voters across the state and better positioned to compete in Republican-leaning areas.
“The being able to win in a red area is huge,” Welch said.
Hinson ‘not worried’
Hinson said, if elected, she would continue efforts to lower costs for Iowa families, challenge pharmaceutical and health insurance companies, and push for a ban on stock trading and participation in prediction markets by members of Congress and their spouses.
Hinson also emphasized her bipartisan record in Congress and said she would bring the same approach to the Senate if elected in November.
“Voters sent me to Washington to share their stories and be their voice in the fight to make life more affordable, safer, and easier for their families,” Hinson said. “I’ll work with anyone, from any party, to get things done for Iowa.”
Iowa Republican U.S. Senate candidate and Congresswoman Ashley Hinson reacts to the crowd after winning the Iowa Senate nomination at her watch party at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Hinson will run against Democratic nominee Josh Turek in November for the US Senate seat.
Speaking with reporters Tuesday morning after voting in Marion, Hinson said she was unconcerned about facing either Democratic candidate in the general election.
“I’m not worried at all,” Hinson said. “I think, again, Iowans are really common-sense people, and whether it’s Josh Turek or Zack Wahls, both of them are extremely liberal.”
Hinson specifically criticized Turek’s legislative record, accusing him of supporting “illegal immigrants over Americans,” backing higher taxes and promoting what she described as “radical gender ideology.”
Making her closing appeal to voters, Hinson emphasized her personal connection to the challenges facing Iowa families.
“Well, I’m a common-sense, minivan-driving mom,” Hinson said. “I think Iowans, at the end of the day, just want someone who’s going to be able to relate to their issues.”
The congresswoman pointed to her experiences raising two teenage sons and dealing with childcare and household expenses while campaigning across all 99 Iowa counties.
“My last-minute pitch, then, would be I’m one of you,” Hinson said. “I’m a proud Iowan, and I look forward to telling your stories in Washington, D.C.”
Hinson entered Election Day with significant advantages, including endorsements from Trump and top Senate and state Republicans.
On Monday night, Trump renewed his endorsement on Truth Social, calling Hinson “a WINNER” and urging Republicans to support her. He praised her work on taxes, border security, agriculture and manufacturing, saying she “will be an outstanding Senator.”
Competitive race
The race to replace Ernst is expected to be among the most closely watched Senate contests in the country, with national Democrats targeting the seat as they seek to regain control of the Senate and Republicans determined to hold it.
Tuesday’s results now set the stage for a five-month general election campaign between Hinson and Turek that is expected to draw millions of dollars in outside spending and national attention heading into November.
The result drew swift reaction from national and state political groups, signaling the intensity expected in the general election campaign.
Senate Majority PAC and VoteVets praised Turek’s win, with VoteVets noting it spent $9.7 million ahead of the primary to support him through television, digital and direct mail advertising.
Republicans sought to tie Turek to national Democrats. RNC Chairman Joe Gruters called Turek a “radical leftist and weak candidate,” while Hinson’s campaign said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer “is on the ballot in Iowa — he goes by the name Josh Turek.”
Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann congratulated Hinson, saying she has “built a record of delivering results for Iowa families, farmers, workers, and small businesses.”
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart criticized Hinson’s record in Congress, saying Hinson has worked “for herself, not Iowans,” and arguing voters would hold her accountable in November.
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State Rep. Josh Turek of Council Bluffs won the Democratic nomination for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, defeating state Sen. Zach Wahl…
