

Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Current roleState Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
Age47 years old (Apr 12, 1979)
GenderMale
LocationIowa
BackgroundPolitician
Notable personal detailsJoshua Mark Turek is an American politician and wheelchair basketball player who represents Iowa House District 20 (Council Bluffs and Carter Lake). He is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist and four-time Paralympian, and he is the Democratic nominee for the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Iowa. He filed for the open U.S. Senate seat in 2025 and campaigns through the committee Josh Turek for Iowa.
Supports protecting social safety-net programs and opposes tax cuts that primarily benefit billionaires and large corporations; emphasizes lowering costs for families, raising the minimum wage, and supporting farmers and small businesses. Advocates using government policy to preserve and expand programs such as Medicaid and ACA subsidies rather than pursuing tax cuts for the wealthy.
Supports affordable, accessible health care and protection of Affordable Care Act subsidies; describes health care as a human right and opposes policies that privatize or cut Medicaid and other safety-net programs. Focuses on preventing rural hospital closures and expanding government-backed assistance to lower costs and increase access.
Supports protections for immigrant families and criticizes aggressive federal ICE actions while acknowledging the need for immigration laws targeting violent criminals. Emphasizes local control and community safety over expansive federal enforcement. Frames immigration policy with a humanitarian focus given personal family ties to immigrants.
Supports restoring broader abortion access in Iowa, has called for codifying Roe v. Wade at the federal level, and filed legislation to overturn the state’s six‑week abortion ban. Frames the six‑week ban as harmful to health care access and maternal care in Iowa.
States support for “meaningful and effective environmental protection,” with emphasis on air, food, and water, but public materials do not specify detailed climate or energy policies such as emissions targets, fossil-fuel phase-out, carbon pricing, or major clean-energy programs.
Josh Turek won the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate race, defeating state Sen. Zach Wahls. He will now face Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson in the general election for the open seat. Reports say the race is expected to be competitive, but current polling and prediction markets still lean Republican.


Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsers of Josh Turek for Iowa Democratic Senate nominee?
Public endorsement
Seven Iowa labor organizations endorsed Josh Turek for U.S. Senate.
Political organization
Pete Buttigieg endorsed Josh Turek's U.S. Senate campaign.
Political organization
J.D. Scholten endorsed Josh Turek after ending his own Senate campaign.
2026
LatestCycle 2026
Source: FEC