# Josh Turek Defeats Ashley Hinson in Iowa U.S. Senate Race Democrat Josh Turek secures Iowa Senate seat, breaking a long Republican statewide winning streak. - **Source:** [Ballotpedia News](https://news.ballotpedia.org) - **Published:** 2026-11-06 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/e34adb7b-6e9c-43fd-ac77-30fa7ff39f27 ## Turek Secures Senate Victory Democrat Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson and Libertarian Thomas Laehn in the November 3, 2026, Iowa U.S. Senate election. This result marks a significant shift in Iowa politics, as the state has recently been dominated by Republican victories. Turek successfully flipped a seat previously held by incumbent Republican Joni Ernst. ## Historical Context of Iowa Iowa has experienced a strong stretch of Republican dominance in recent election cycles, maintaining an all-Republican delegation in Washington D.C. and a trifecta of control at the Statehouse. Before Turek's win, the last Democrat to secure a statewide election victory in Iowa was Auditor Rob Sand during the 2022 midterm cycle. ## Candidate Backgrounds and Paths Josh Turek, a former professional basketball player and Paralympic medalist, was previously elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2022. His opponent, Ashley Hinson, served in the U.S. House since 2020 and was a former television reporter. Both candidates brought distinct professional backgrounds to this highly competitive and expensive Senate race. ## Campaign Fundraising and Spending Financial resources played a major role in the campaign, with Turek raising $24.3 million compared to Hinson’s $14.1 million as of November 2, 2026. These figures highlight the intense national interest in the seat, which political forecasters had initially rated as leaning Republican despite the eventual outcome favoring the Democratic challenger. ## Republican Electoral Precedents The Republican party had established a firm grip on Iowa, with Donald Trump winning the state in 2024 by 55.7% to 42.5%. Additionally, Chuck Grassley won re-election to the Senate in 2022 with 56% of the vote, while Governor Kim Reynolds secured her position with 58% in the same election cycle. ## Legislative Platforms and Focus Hinson campaigned on securing borders, cutting federal spending, and improving child care access through pro-growth policies. Conversely, Turek built a reputation as a bipartisan legislator, emphasizing his work ethic and common-sense approach to governance. These differing platforms defined the core debate for voters throughout the state during the intense campaign. ## Impact on Senate Balance This race was critical for the partisan balance of the 120th Congress, where 33 Senate seats were up for regular election and two for special election. Republicans entered the election holding a 53-45 majority in the chamber. The outcome of the Iowa contest directly influenced the final composition of the U.S. Senate. ## Significance of the Result Turek’s victory serves as a rare Democratic breakthrough in a state that has trended Republican in recent years. By overcoming a seat that Donald Trump won twice, Turek demonstrated a unique ability to connect with diverse political demographics. This win forces a reassessment of Iowa's political landscape for future election cycles. ## Sources covering this story - https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/11/06/josh-turek-d-defeated-ashley-hinson-r-and-thomas-laehn-l-in-the-general-election-for-u-s-senate-in-iowa/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._