Two-time Paralympic gold medalist Josh Turek, a Democratic state representative from Council Bluffs, is running for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat and will face Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson and Libertarian Thomas Laehn on November 3. The winner will succeed retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.
Turek, 47, won the Democratic nomination on June 2, according to WHO13. His path from wheelchair basketball courts in Europe to the Iowa Capitol has drawn national attention to a race that could help decide control of the Senate.
From Council Bluffs to Paralympic Gold
Turek grew up in a working-class family in Council Bluffs. His father served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and his mother worked in a factory and taught at a community college, according to Economic Times.
Born with spina bifida, Turek had undergone 21 surgeries by age 12. He started playing wheelchair basketball after attending a sports camp in Omaha, and the sport became a family pursuit. His brother John played at Nebraska and professionally in Europe, and his sister Elisha played professionally in Spain.
Turek graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1997 and finished his college career at Southwest Minnesota State University with program records of 4,024 points and 1,213 rebounds. He played professionally in Italy, France and Spain and represented the United States at four Paralympic Games, winning bronze in London in 2012 and gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021. He was later inducted into the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame.
A First Election Decided by Six Votes
After his basketball career ended, Turek returned to Iowa and ran for the state legislature in his hometown. His first election in 2022 came down to a recount, which he won by six votes in a district Donald Trump had carried twice.
He took office in January 2023 as the first permanently disabled member of the Iowa Legislature. He won re-election in 2024 even as Trump carried his district by eight points, a result his campaign points to as evidence he can win over Republican-leaning voters.
Where Turek Stands on the Issues
Turek's campaign centers on the cost of living, workers and the middle class. His work helping patients obtain wheelchairs and rehabilitation equipment exposed him to problems with insurance coverage and health care costs, an experience that now shapes his call for major changes to Iowa's health care system.
He has been a vocal opponent of Iowa's school voucher program, a position that puts him at odds with Republican leaders and many Iowa parents who support education savings accounts. Turek has also emphasized public education funding and environmental protection, including clean air, food and water.
The Gazette reported that Turek is framing his campaign as a working-class pitch, leaning on his upbringing and his experience navigating the health care system as a person with a disability.
Hinson Seeks to Keep the Seat in Republican Hands
Rep. Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee, is campaigning to keep the seat in GOP hands as Ernst retires. Hinson has been a reliable ally of the Trump administration's agenda in the House, and the race has drawn attention on issues ranging from trade policy to energy.
Iowa's manufacturing sector has felt the strain of tariff disputes this year, a dynamic that has put pressure on Republicans in midterm races across the Midwest. Hinson has also faced questions on the national stage, including bipartisan criticism of a proposed Russian diesel arrangement that put several GOP lawmakers on the defensive.
The contest will be decided on November 3, with early voting already underway across Iowa.
Who is Josh Turek?
Josh Turek is a Democratic state representative from Council Bluffs and a two-time Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball. He is the Democratic nominee for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat in the 2026 midterm elections.
Who is running against Josh Turek for U.S. Senate in Iowa?
Turek faces Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson and Libertarian Thomas Laehn in the November 3 election to replace retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.
How did Josh Turek win his first election?
Turek won his first state legislative race in 2022 by six votes after a recount, in a district Donald Trump had carried twice. He won re-election in 2024.
What are Josh Turek's key policy positions?
Turek campaigns on cost of living, health care access, public education and environmental protection. He opposes school vouchers and supports major changes to Iowa's health care system.
