# Josh Turek wins Iowa Senate race to hand Democrats major victory in Republican state

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/josh-turek-wins-iowa-senate-race-to-hand-democrats-major-victory-in-republican-state/
- Published: 2026-11-04T04:37:30+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T05:12:19+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03/ashley-hinson-josh-turek-iowa-us-senate
- Topics: Americas, Elections, Government, Politics, Software, Technology, World

## Key points

- Josh Turek has won Iowa’s Senate race for the Democrats.
- The result is the party’s first Senate win in Iowa since 2008.
- Voters’ concerns included rising prices, tariffs and cancer rates.

## Summary

Josh Turek has defeated Republican Ashley Hinson in Iowa’s US Senate race, giving Democrats a significant win in a state that has shifted towards Republicans in recent years. It is the first time since 2008 that a Democrat has won a Senate election there, and brings the party closer to a majority that could help it block legislation and presidential nominees.

Turek, a state legislator and two-time Paralympic gold medallist in wheelchair basketball, campaigned on frustration over rising costs, tariffs affecting soybean markets, higher fuel and fertiliser prices, and concerns about cancer rates. He also took conservative positions on transgender athletes and publicly funded gender-affirming care, drawing criticism from LGBTQ+ groups. Hinson had called him too liberal for Iowa, but was weighed down by Donald Trump’s low approval ratings and voter concerns about prices.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.