Iowa Senate race set between Democrat Josh Turek, Republican Ashley Hinson
Iowa voters head into the primary with concerns about the economy and farmers’ futures 03:17
Washington — GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson and Democratic State Rep. Josh Turek will face off in November after winning the U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday night, CBS News projects.
Hinson and Turek are running to replace GOP Sen. Joni Ernst, who has opted not to seek re-election. Republicans quickly lined up behind Hinson, who has represented Iowa in the House since 2021 and is endorsed by President Trump, making her the de facto GOP nominee heading into the primary. Hinson, 42, was expected to defeat former state Sen. Jim Carlin on Tuesday.
On the Democratic side, Turek, a 47-year-old state representative and former wheelchair basketball Paralympian, is expected to defeat state Sen. Zach Wahls.
Turek broke the record for working across the aisle and represented Iowa’s most conservative district, touting sending a Democrat to the state legislature. Ahead of the primary, he received multiple endorsements from moderates like Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and some progressive lawmakers like Rep. Ro Khanna of California. And he has consistently framed the contest as coming down to electability in the red-leaning state.
The Hawkeye State has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 2008, and President Trump won the state by 13 points in 2024, making the race a tough fight for the party on paper. But Democrats have become increasingly optimistic about their chances in recent months amid frustration over the cost of living.
The outcome of Tuesday’s Democratic primary represents the latest example of division among Democrats over the direction of the party.
Wahls, a state senator and the more progressive candidate, has the support of progressives such as Senator Elizabeth Warren and a number of labor unions. He gained recognition at age 19 when he advocated for gay marriage, testifying before the state legislature that he grew up with two mothers, and went on to become the youngest leader of the Iowa Senate Democrats.
While Turek focused his message on the economy and pitched himself as the most likely candidate to beat Hinson in November, Wahls leaned into an anti-establishment message that included criticism of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Wahls has repeatedly criticized Turek, who has received nearly $10 million in spending from VoteVets, for his endorsement by national Democratic groups.
Looking ahead to the general election, it remains to be seen whether a Democrat can flip a Senate seat in a state that has been a GOP stronghold for more than a decade. But the party is hopeful that Hinson, who has promised to be the president’s biggest ally in the Senate, may have difficulty at the ballot box because of some unpopular Trump administration policies such as tariffs. Meanwhile, Democrats say the Senate race could be revitalized by Comptroller Rob Sand’s strong gubernatorial bid.
The Senate Leadership Fund, the Senate’s leading GOP super PAC, announced a $29 million ad booking in the race, while the Democratic Senate Majority PAC announced an initial $13.4 million investment in television ad bookings. Cook Political Report rates the race as likely Republican, indicating that Ratings may vary Becoming more competitive with Turek’s candidacy.
