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U.S. Senate

Ashley Hinson (R) faces Josh Turek (D) in an open-seat race after Sen. Joni Ernst declined to seek reelection.

About the Office

A U.S. Senator represents the entire state of Iowa in the United States Senate, serving a six-year term. Iowa has two senators, who together form one of 100 votes on federal legislation, treaties, and Supreme Court and federal agency confirmations.

Senators help decide federal laws, federal spending, federal taxes, and who serves on the federal bench and in cabinet positions. Senators also conduct oversight of federal agencies and handle constituent casework with federal programs like Social Security, Medicare, and the VA.

Race at a Glance

Race Type
Open Seat
Term Length
6 Years
Election Day
Nov 3, 2026

Sen. Joni Ernst announced she would not seek a third term. Ashley Hinson, the current IA-2 U.S. Representative, won the Republican nomination with Trump's endorsement. Josh Turek, an Iowa state representative and two-time Paralympic gold medalist, won the Democratic nomination.

The Iowa U.S. Senate Voter Quiz

A non-partisan quiz comparing your views on key federal issues to the sourced positions of Ashley Hinson (R) and Josh Turek (D). Each question includes context to help you reflect on where you stand and who you most align with, regardless of party.

The Candidates

Each candidate's positions are drawn from primary sources: campaign communications, voting records, debates, and direct interviews.

Ashley Hinson

Ashley Hinson (R)

Republican nominee · U.S. Representative, IA-2 (current)

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Bio

Born in 1983 in Des Moines. Raised in Marion, Iowa. Graduated from the University of Southern California. Married to Matt Hinson; two sons. Currently serves as U.S. Representative for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District.

Career

Former television news anchor at KCRG-TV9 in Cedar Rapids for over a decade. Elected to the Iowa House in 2017. Elected to U.S. House in 2020, defeating incumbent Abby Finkenauer. Re-elected in 2022 and 2024. Trump-endorsed for U.S. Senate in 2025.

Primary Issues
Affordability, taxes, and inflation

Her House issues page leads with it: "Ashley's goal is simple — help American taxpayers keep more of their own money and make life more affordable for working families." Specifics she returns to: making the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, "no tax on tips," "no tax on overtime," reducing "regulatory burden" on small businesses. She frequently cites her vote for the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill as her signature delivery on this. From the Gazette: her "top priority is reducing inflation by slowing government growth and spending, reducing taxes and 'regulatory burdens' on small businesses."

Border enforcement and ICE

One of her most-quoted lines is "deport the dangerous illegals in this country" and secure the southern border by working with ICE before reforming visa systems. Stopping fentanyl trafficking is an outcome she often speaks on when discussing border enforcement.

Government ethics

Hinson has introduced House legislation modeled on Sen. Bernie Moreno's (R-OH) Senate proposal that would prohibit members of Congress from trading on prediction markets while in office.

Position on Turek's Priority Issues
Healthcare

Voted in favor of the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill, which included significant reductions in federal Medicaid spending. Separately, she has positioned herself as a healthcare reformer by championing federal legislation to expand access to over-the-counter birth control without a prescription. Iowa Democrats and reproductive-rights groups have noted that she co-sponsored a separate bill that opponents argue could restrict access to certain forms of hormonal birth control, and that she has supported Iowa's six-week abortion ban.

Endorsements
  • President Donald Trump
  • Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
  • Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds
  • U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)
  • Former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad
  • National Republican Senatorial Committee
Donor Information
  • Total individual contributions: 52,733
  • In-state: 964 (1.8%) Out-of-state: 51,769 (98.2%)
  • Small-dollar donors ($100 or less): By count: 51,069 of 52,733 (96.8%) By dollar volume: $740,266 of $2,804,170 (26.4%)
1. Charles Brumbaugh — Woodland Hills, CA — $35,000
Principal of real estate development firm.
2. James R. Dean — Sioux Center, IA — $34,000
President of Versova, an egg production company.
3. Kent Family — Muscatine, IA — $32,000
Combined contributions from Gage A. Kent (CEO/Chairman, Kent Corporation) and Geri A. Kent.
4. Craig J. Breitbach — Farley, IA — $29,000
CEO of Cedar Valley Steel.
5. Alan B. White — Dallas, TX — $23,500
Founder of PlainsCapital Bank

Source: Federal Election Commission (FEC), Schedule A, as of July 23, 2026. fec.gov/data

Josh Turek

Josh Turek (D)

Democratic nominee · Iowa State Representative · Paralympic gold medalist

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Bio

Born in 1979 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Has used a wheelchair since infancy due to spina bifida. Two-time Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball (2008, 2016). Currently serves in the Iowa House. Married to immigrant wife; lives in Council Bluffs.

Career

Professional wheelchair basketball player and coach. Disability rights advocate. Elected to the Iowa House in 2022, flipping a Republican-held seat. Endorsed by former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, principal author of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Primary Issues
Cost of living, wages, and economic populism

His most-discussed and most-distinctive issue is framed by his "prairie populism" approach. Turek mentions raising the federal minimum wage and tying regular wages to inflation, a federal "Dignity in Work" bill that would end Section 14C certificates (which let employers pay disabled workers below minimum wage), banning food price-gouging, and banning private equity firms from buying single-family homes and farmland.

Healthcare access and affordability

Turek aims to restore full Medicaid funding (reversing the OBBBA cuts), restoring Affordable Care Act subsidies, supporting a public health insurance option, and capping prescription drug prices. Has called the Medicaid cuts "frankly immoral."

Cancer crisis and water quality

Iowa has the second-highest cancer rate in the country and is the only state where the rate is still growing. Turek sponsored Iowa legislation banning certain medical devices that use known carcinogens, sponsored legislation to expand water-quality sensors, and supports federal funding for cancer research including pediatric cancer.

Position on Hinson's Priority Issues
Immigration & Border Security

Turek supports comprehensive immigration reform that pairs stronger border enforcement with an earned pathway to citizenship. Specifically supports securing the border, deporting people who enter illegally and commit crimes, and stopping fentanyl trafficking across the southern border. Has called for "fundamental reforms" to ICE, describing recent enforcement practices as "inhumane" and "un-American." As a state legislator he voted in 2024 for Senate File 2340, a state immigration enforcement law later blocked by federal courts, which has drawn criticism from progressive Democrats.

Government Ethics & Anti-Corruption

Agrees that lawmakers should not be allowed to trade individual stocks or prediction-market contracts while in office, and goes further than Hinson on several adjacent reforms. Supports a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United v. FEC, banning corporate PAC contributions to candidates, term limits for members of Congress, term limits for U.S. Supreme Court Justices, and a binding code of ethics for Supreme Court Justices. Has identified anti-corruption as one of four litmus-test questions he would put to any candidate for Senate Democratic leadership before deciding his vote.

Endorsements
  • Former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
  • Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
  • Iowa Federation of Labor
  • Iowa State Education Association
  • VoteVets
Donor Information
  • Total individual contributions: 5,306
  • In-state: 2,352 (44.3%) Out-of-state: 2,954 (55.7%)
  • Small-dollar donors ($100 or less): By count: 3,509 of 5,306 (66.1%) By dollar volume: $143,790 of $1,875,858 (7.7%)
1. Frederick Weitz — Des Moines, IA — $10,500
Ex-CEO of Weitz Company, a construction firm.
2. Smart Solutions PAC — Washington, DC — $10,000
Democratic leadership PAC
2. Blue Hen Federal PAC — Washington, DC — $10,000
Democratic leadership PAC
2. Granite Values PAC — Concord, NH — $10,000
Democratic leadership PAC
2. Moderate Democrats PAC — Washington, DC — $10,000
Democratic leadership PAC
2. Oceans PAC — Washington, DC — $10,000
Democratic leadership PAC
2. Impact — New York, NY — $10,000
2. All for Our Country Leadership PAC — Washington, DC — $10,000
Democratic leadership PAC

Source: Federal Election Commission (FEC), Schedule A, as of July 23, 2026. fec.gov/data

Also on the Ballot

Thomas Laehn (Libertarian), Greene County Attorney

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