Turek takes Iowa Senate seat, handing Democrats a key chamber fight win
The 47-year-old state representative defeated House colleague Ashley Hinson in a race that defied recent red-state trends, aided by local economic pressures.
By Grace Almasi ·
Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek has defeated GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson for the open Iowa Senate seat, according to a CBS News projection made on Nov. 3, 2026. The result flips a chamber seat that has favored Republicans since 2008. Turek, 47, was a former wheelchair basketball Paralympian and state legislator who sought the federal post after Sen. Joni Ernst announced she would not run for reelection.
The race ended in a tighter margin than most analysts predicted, despite Iowa's recent voting trends. The state had not elected a Democrat to the Senate in 18 years. President Trump won the state by 13 points in 2024. However, voters in the Hawkeye State felt the impact of high gas and diesel prices. The cost of trade policies from the current administration also weighed on local households.
Hinson, 43, represented Iowa in the House since 2021 and had served as a local news anchor before entering politics. She initially pledged to be a top ally for the president in the upper chamber. In the weeks before the election, she called for a successful and immediate end to the war in Iran. She had previously opposed congressional efforts to limit the president's war powers.
During an October debate, Hinson said she would support the president when it was important for Iowa. She also promised to push back on him at times. Polls in the leadup showed the two candidates locked in a close contest. Both campaigns spent heavily in the state to secure the win.
The outcome brings Democrats one step closer to taking control of the Senate. The map initially looked favorable to Republicans, but competitive races emerged in reliably red states. This development threw the GOP's hold on the upper chamber into question. Democrat Rob Sand also won the Iowa governor's race on the same night.
Turek campaigned on his record of working across the aisle in the state legislature. He sought a seat that was initially viewed as a long shot. The victory marks a major pickup for Democrats in a state that has shifted rightward in recent years. Hinson had to balance her party loyalty with local voter concerns during the campaign.
