Democrat Josh Turek Flips Iowa US Senate Seat

Democrat Josh Turek won the US Senate race in Iowa on November 3, 2026, flipping a Republican-held seat previously occupied by Senator Joni Ernst. Turek, a state representative and four-time Paralympian, defeated Republican Representative Ashley Hinson in a closely contested race. This victory marks the first time a Democrat has been elected to the US Senate from Iowa since 2008.

Turek campaigned as a moderate, focusing on reversing Medicaid cuts from the Trump administration and criticizing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Hinson, a three-term congresswoman and Trump loyalist, received the endorsement of Donald Trump, who campaigned on her behalf in Dubuque. The race featured three candidates, including Libertarian Thomas Laehn, with platforms centering on agriculture, healthcare, and the economy.

Simultaneously, Iowa voters cast ballots for governor to fill the open seat vacated by Republican Governor Kim Reynolds. Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand, who ran on an anti-corruption platform, competed against Republican Zach Lahn. Lahn, a former conservative operative who won the GOP primary over a Trump-endorsed congressman, focused his campaign on antitrust lawsuits against agricultural conglomerates and reducing out-of-state farmland acquisitions.