Josh Turek, a Paralympic gold medalist and state legislator, secured the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Iowa. The Associated Press announced his victory over a progressive opponent, highlighting a significant test of the party’s anti-establishment sentiment.
Turek, known as a ‘prairie populist,’ defeated Zach Wahls, a fellow state legislator famous for a speech he delivered as a teenager in 2011 defending his lesbian parents at the Iowa Capitol.
At 47, Turek presented himself as a ‘battle-tested’ candidate able to garner support from independents and Republicans in a state where President Trump won thrice. ‘I outperformed the top of the ticket by Trump by 50 percent, more than any other Democrat in the state,’ Turek stated during a recent debate. ‘I know what it takes to win.’
In the upcoming election, Turek will compete against Representative Ashley Hinson, a congresswoman from the northwest of Iowa. The Senate Leadership Fund, a key super PAC for Senate Republicans, has already allocated at least $29 million to support Hinson’s bid, suggesting a potentially competitive race this year.
Democrats are increasingly hopeful about their prospects in Iowa, despite the state’s Republican dominance of the congressional delegation, governor’s office, and both legislative chambers.
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