Iowa state Representative Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, said Sunday that President Donald Trump has done a better job securing the border than former President Joe Biden, a striking admission from a candidate trying to flip a Republican-held seat.
Turek made the comments during an interview with ABC News' Jonathan Karl on This Week on October 25, according to Newsweek, as he campaigns against Republican Representative Ashley Hinson in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.
Turek: 'He's Done a Better Job on the Border Than Biden'
Asked what he believes Trump has done right, Turek did not hesitate.
“I agree with Trump. He's done a better job on the border than Biden, for sure,” Turek told Karl, according to the ABC News interview transcript. “I agree with him that we need to drive private equity out of housing. I would also like to see us drive private equity out of housing, healthcare, and nursing homes. And I agree with him that we should have no tax on tips, overtime, and Social Security.”
The Council Bluffs lawmaker has leaned into border security throughout the campaign. In a campaign advertisement, Turek says: “In the U.S. Senate, I'll work with anyone to fix it, including President Trump, to secure the border, stop the flow of drugs into Iowa.”
He described himself on Sunday as a “proud moderate” and a “commonsense prairie populist,” listing his priorities as a livable wage, affordable housing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, drinkable water, Iowa's cancer rate, functioning public schools, infrastructure and addressing corruption.
When Karl asked whether the Democratic Party had moved too far left, Turek declined to judge the party as a whole.
“I don't think a lot about the party as a whole,” he said. “I think about myself, and I think about Iowa.”
Why the Comments Matter in a Race National Democrats Need
Turek is running against Hinson, who holds Trump's endorsement. The president carried Iowa by 13 points in 2024 against former Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Associated Press lists the Hawkeye State among Democrats' best pickup opportunities among Republican-held Senate seats, as Newsweek reported.
A Democratic win in Iowa could shape the fight for Senate control, which makes Turek's willingness to break with his own party's record on the border notable. Biden administration border policies were a defining issue in 2024, and an Associated Press analysis in September found that the surge in border crossings during Biden's presidency was a major reason voters returned Trump to office.
“The number of migrants released in the U.S. after crossing the border from Mexico began climbing during Trump's first term and rose drastically under Biden,” the AP wrote. “Border crossings fell sharply after Biden introduced severe asylum restrictions in June 2024 and plummeted more after Trump returned to the White House and suspended asylum at the border.”
Immigration enforcement groups have made a similar case. The Federation for American Immigration Reform noted in a recent analysis of Biden's border record that the former president repeatedly claimed only Congress could fix the border, while Trump acted through executive authority upon returning to office.
Turek is not the only Democrat recalibrating. In Texas, Senate candidate James Talarico has declared himself a “border security Democrat,” saying Biden “failed us during his administration by not securing the border,” though he remains opposed to other parts of Trump's immigration agenda.
Turek Praises Trump's Diagnosis, Criticizes the Results
Turek said Sunday that he does not “vilify people for voting for Trump,” arguing the president had “accurately identified the problem” on grocery prices, corruption, electricity costs and keeping the country out of “forever wars.”
But he broke with the administration's record, arguing there has instead been “more and more consolidation of wealth and power to a handful of individuals.” He has also criticized the administration's foreign policy on the Iran war and its trade tariffs, contending that rising costs have burdened Iowans.
Turek pointed to his own record in the Legislature, saying he has been independently recognized as one of its most bipartisan and effective members. He said he has never approached his work through “the guise of tribalism,” voting instead based on his district, his conscience and what he believes is best for Iowa.
Hinson Stresses Deportations and a Legal Ag Workforce
Hinson, a three-term congresswoman from Marion, has made illegal immigration central to her campaign. During a conference call with reporters last year, she said it is the top issue she hears about from constituents, Radio Iowa reported.
“There are many mechanisms for people to self deport right now,” Hinson said, pointing to the Department of Homeland Security's CBP Home app. “The number one issue I heard about is the border and safety and making sure we're deporting people who are not here legally.”
Given Iowa's farm economy, Hinson was also asked whether deportations could leave agriculture without enough workers. She said the answer is a legal workforce visa, not amnesty.
“This is a workforce visa, not an amnesty issue,” Hinson said. “And we need to make sure we have those legal pathways for people to come here to work in critical industries like agriculture.”
Newsweek reached out to both campaigns by email Sunday for further comment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Josh Turek say about Trump and the border?
During an October 25 interview on ABC News' This Week, Turek said Trump “has done a better job on the border than Biden, for sure,” and pledged in a campaign ad to work with Trump to secure the border and stop drug flows into Iowa.
Who is running for U.S. Senate in Iowa?
Democrat Josh Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs, is running against Republican Representative Ashley Hinson, who holds Trump's endorsement, in the November midterm election.
What is Ashley Hinson's immigration position?
Hinson supports border security, deportations of those in the country illegally and a legal workforce visa for industries such as agriculture, which she distinguishes from amnesty.