Iowa Senate Primary Election — Candidate Comparison

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

Josh Turek is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist for Team USA and a State Legislator who represents the reddest seat held by a Democrat in the state of Iowa. Born with spina bifida after his dad was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam, Josh overcame 21 surgeries by the age of 12 to eventually represent the U.S. at four Paralympics. After his basketball career ended with a gold medal in Tokyo in 2021, Josh ran to represent his hometown of Council Bluffs in the legislature. Running in a seat that Donald Trump had already won twice, Josh pushed his chair up hills and crawled up stairs to talk to Iowans of all political stripes, eventually winning by six votes. He was re-elected by a five point margin at the same time Trump was winning the seat by eight points, not only because of his...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

While playing professional basketball, Josh began as the Volunteer Director for the Ryan Martin Foundation, an organization providing disabled children opportunities to play sports for free. He also worked with patients and doctors at a wheelchair and mobility assistance company, to provide mobility devices and complex rehab technology to people with disabilities. In this role, Josh recognized major shortfalls in our health care system - routinely failing the most vulnerable in our society. Josh graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs. He continued his basketball career at Southwest Minnesota State University where he was the most prolific scorer in the program’s history. Josh graduated in 2002 and later earned an MBA. Josh has been inducted into the Athletic...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

PUSHING FOR CHANGE A prairie populist’s platform to rebuild the American Dream Life is harder for working class people because Washington is riddled with corrupt politicians who are out of touch and focused on enriching themselves. While Ashley Hinson’s net worth has quadrupled since she got to Washington, Iowa’s economy and personal income growth have plummeted. More and more Iowans are struggling to afford housing, health care, medication, and groceries. Ashley Hinson doesn’t care...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

Each and every American should be able to afford the basics. Josh knows the American Dream is getting further and further away for too many families who are struggling to put food on the table, make rent, and achieve the dream of homeownership. Washington continues to undermine workers’ rights, hollowing out the middle class, while billionaires and big corporations rake in massive profits. In the Iowa House, Josh fought to make the dream of owning a home more in reach, sponsoring...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

Health care is a human right. All Americans deserve access to basic care. Born with Spina Bifida, Josh underwent 21 surgeries before the age of 12. He had access to good quality health care thanks to Shriner’s Children’s Hospital and his father’s military service. Josh knows better than most that access to quality, affordable health care is critical – and he knows just how hard it is for so many Iowans to receive. In the legislature, Josh has been on the front lines of fighting for better...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

Stop the corruption. Politicians should deliver for the people, not enrich themselves. Politicians in Washington like Ashley Hinson have seen their net worth increase while the people they are supposed to serve struggle. Meanwhile, the proliferation of big money has delivered for billionaires and big corporations, not working people. Josh is not taking any corporate PAC money, because this campaign is for Iowa and Iowans, not corporations. Josh has sponsored legislation to cap the amount...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

Iowa’s farmers are the best in the world. It’s time we fight for them. Iowa’s farmers have been hit hard by the chaotic tariffs and trade policies coming out of Washington, supported by Ashley Hinson. Iowa farmers are the best in the world, and they deserve a Senator willing to fight for them to have a level playing field. Josh has championed meaningful legislation for Iowa farmers, including fighting for a Right to Repair bill so farmers can fix their own equipment and Mandatory Country...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

We must protect and defend our fundamental freedoms. Josh knows that our fundamental rights and freedoms are under attack from Washington, including our freedom of speech, the freedom to marry who we love, and the freedom for women to make their own decisions about reproductive health care. He spoke out against legislation removing antidiscrimination protections for gender identity from Iowa’s civil rights code, and he wrote and sponsored legislation to repeal Iowa’s extreme, near-total...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

Every Iowa child deserves access to the highest quality public education. Iowa used to be nationally ranked for its public schools. It was a point of personal pride for all Iowans, so much so that we put it on our quarter. Now, we’re middle of the pack – and Iowa kids deserve better. Josh knows firsthand what a difference it makes to have leaders fighting for education. As a child, local Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs) gave him access to a quality education. Josh has sponsored...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

We need to address Iowa’s unique cancer crisis and the water quality crisis that’s driving it. Iowa is experiencing a cancer crisis and a water quality crisis. Josh knows that personally: he’s currently supporting his sister through treatment for Stage 2 breast cancer, a diagnosis that drove his decision to run for Senate. His sister’s private insurance refused to cover a PET scan to see if the cancer had spread – another example of our broken health care system. Josh has sponsored...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

Support our military heroes and their families while they serve – and when they come home. Josh is the proud son of a veteran, whose service provided the VA health care that Josh relies on. He also knows how the government can fail servicemembers and their families. That’s why Josh is committed to supporting our troops and their families when they are on active duty and when they come home. As an adaptive sports athlete, Josh has played with disabled veterans and worked with veterans as...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

Individuals with disabilities deserve access to education, employment, and health care without unnecessary barriers. Iowans with disabilities deserve to live fulfilling lives with dignity and access to critical services. As the first and only permanently disabled member of the Iowa legislature, Josh has led the charge to support individuals with disabilities in the Iowa House. Josh wrote and passed a “right to repair” bill that makes it far easier for people to repair wheelchairs...

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

June 2, 2026: "It's Primary Day, Iowa! We have a generational opportunity to win back Senator Harkin’s seat and finally have someone in the Senate who will fight for Iowa and Iowans again." @turek4iowa

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

May 15, 2026: "I know it’s families like mine who pay the price for Trump’s health care cuts, his tariffs, and his overseas wars. In the Senate, I’ll take on Trump, and anyone else in Washington, to do what’s right for Iowa." @turek4iowa

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

May 15, 2026: "Health care is a human right, and that includes reproductive health care. In the Senate, I’ll fight to make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again, address Iowa’s OBGYN crisis, and protect access to contraception..." @turek4iowa

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

May 6, 2026: "I was born with spina bifida because of my father’s exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. ... In the Senate, I’ll oppose unnecessary, forever wars and stand with our military heroes and their families." @turek4iowa

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

May 4, 2026: "Politicians in DC like Ashley Hinson have betrayed Iowa’s rural communities. When I'm in the U.S. Senate, I'll fight for rural Iowa -- just as I always have." (Links to rural Iowa plan.) @turek4iowa

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

April 23, 2026: "Donald Trump and Ashley Hinson both promised to bring down costs. ... This is exactly why we need a working class, common sense prairie populist in Washington. I will actually fight to lower..." @turek4iowa

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

March 16, 2026: "Strong union protections are essential... I will continue to fight alongside them to ensure collective bargaining rights for all." (In context of Senate ambitions and VA workers.)

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

March 3, 2026: "...In the U.S. Senate, I’ll fight to get dark money out of politics and to increase the minimum wage – and ensure it continues to increase with inflation." @turek4iowa

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek:

Score:  / 22  Josh Turek: