Iowa State Representative Josh Turek secured a decisive victory in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, defeating progressive rival Zach Wahls. Turek’s win positions him as the party’s moderate standard-bearer in a key battleground state, crucial for Democrats’ aspirations to flip the Senate majority in November. He now faces Republican Ashley Hinson, with the race unfolding amidst a challenging economic climate in Iowa and a split within the Democratic party.
State Representative Josh Turek has emerged victorious in Iowa's closely watched Democratic U.S. Senate primary, a contest crucial to the party's ambitions of regaining control of the Senate in the upcoming November midterm elections. Turek soundly defeated his progressive opponent, state Senator Zach Wahls, solidifying his position as the moderate choice for the Democratic ticket.
Iowa Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Josh Turek, left, and Zach Wahls. Credit: Getty Images
With over 98% of the votes tallied, Turek garnered 62.6% of the vote compared to Wahls' 37.4%, as projected by MS NOW. This win sets the 47-year-old Turek on a path to become the first Iowa Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate since Tom Harkin in 2008.
Turek will now face Republican Representative Ashley Hinson, who currently represents Iowa's 2nd congressional district. Hinson, 42, also secured an easy victory in her primary against Jim Carlin, winning by a significant 48-percentage point margin. The general election will determine who fills the seat being vacated by GOP Senator Joni Ernst at the end of the year.
The general election presents a formidable challenge for Turek in a state that heavily favored former President Donald Trump in 2024, giving him a 13-percentage point lead, and where registered Republican voters outnumber Democrats by nearly 200,000. Despite these odds, Democrats remain optimistic about flipping the seat, citing Trump's declining approval ratings amidst the Iran war and Iowa's struggling economy. The state has seen a surge in farm bankruptcies, a decline in tax revenue, and significant hardship for soybean and other farmers due to tariffs and ongoing conflict in Iran.
A recent Morning Consult poll from May revealed Trump's approval rating in Iowa at -7, a drop from February before the Iran war escalated. Despite these challenges, the same poll rated the Senate race as "likely" to result in a Republican victory, underscoring the uphill battle Turek faces.
The primary battle between Turek and Wahls encapsulated a broader ideological struggle within the Democratic Party, pitting its moderate and progressive factions against each other. It also served as a de facto referendum on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
University of Iowa political science professor Timothy Hagle noted the Democrats' focus on electability. "The big fight right now among the Democrats is who's more electable," Hagle stated before the primary. "Which way are we going to go? The Republicans, of course, want Wahls because he's so far to the left that it's going to probably turn off the no-party voters. And a lot of Democrats are saying, 'We need Turek because we need to have a fighting chance at this election.'"
Turek, seen as the establishment candidate, received endorsements from influential figures such as former Senator Tom Harkin, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and several sitting senators. A two-time gold medalist Paralympian in wheelchair basketball, Turek resides in Council Bluffs and previously demonstrated his electoral prowess by flipping a state legislature seat long held by Republicans.
He emphasized his proven track record, posting on X (formerly Twitter) in May: "I'm the only candidate in this race who has even run against a Republican, let alone beaten one. I'm battle-tested and ready to take on Ashley Hinson — and win."
In contrast, Wahls championed a more progressive platform, earning the endorsement of Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. During his campaign, Wahls, who lives in Coralville (a Democratic stronghold in Johnson County), made headlines by pledging not to support Schumer as the party's leader if elected.
Wahls articulated his stance in a Substack post, stating, "Ashley Hinson is Donald Trump's choice for this seat. My primary opponent is Chuck Schumer's choice. But this seat doesn't belong to them — it belongs to the people of Iowa."
In addition to the Senate primary, Iowans also cast votes in primaries for three out of four congressional districts and to select the Republican gubernatorial nominee from a five-candidate field that included GOP Representative Randy Feenstra. Rob Sand, Iowa's state auditor, secured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination unopposed.
The upcoming general election for Iowa's Senate seat could be pivotal for Democrats' goal to retake the chamber. To achieve a majority, they would need to flip four states won by Trump, such as Iowa, Texas, North Carolina, and Maine, while also successfully defending incumbent Democratic seats in states like Georgia, Michigan, and New Hampshire. The outcome in Iowa will undoubtedly shape the national political landscape.
