Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek, a four-time Paralympian, defeated Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat, according to NBC News and the Associated Press.
The race
Turek won the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. NBC News results updated about 9:58 a.m. ET on Nov. 4, 2026, showed Turek with about 50.5% of the vote and Hinson with about 46.4%. Independent Thomas Laehn took about 3.1%. About 98.7% of the expected vote was in, with roughly 1.36 million total votes counted.
The Associated Press called the race. NPR also reported the win. According to NBC News, Democrats had not won a U.S. Senate race in Iowa since 2008.
On X, @TheDemocrats posted: “DEM FLIP: Iowa Democrat Josh Turek has defeated Republican Ashley Hinson in the race for U.S. Senate. Congrats, Senator-elect Turek!”
Who is Josh Turek?
Turek, 47, is from Council Bluffs, Iowa. He was born with spina bifida and has said he had 21 surgeries by age 12, according to NBC Sports. He is a four-time Paralympic wheelchair basketball player and won gold medals at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020/2021 Games. After his Paralympic career, he entered politics and serves in the Iowa House.
Victory remarks
In a victory speech reported by NBC Sports, Turek said: “As I have said all along, my story is truly the American dream. Only in America could someone born into a working class family in Council Bluffs, Iowa, who went through the economic and healthcare struggle that I went through, ultimately be able to represent my country in four Paralympic Games, win two gold medals, represent my community in the Iowa legislature, and as of tonight, be elected to represent the state I was born and raised in in the United States Senate.”
On X early Nov. 4, @turek4iowa posted that after 448 days of campaigning across all 99 counties, “together, we have made history.” In another post, he wrote he was “proud to be your senator-elect” and that “the real work begins.”
Hinson’s response
Hinson congratulated Turek after speaking with him, according to CBS2 Iowa. “I just had a conversation with Josh Turek a short while ago, and I congratulated him on a very hard-fought campaign,” she said. She added: “It’s time to put politics aside, dial down the rhetoric, and start solving problems for Iowa’s families and Iowa’s farmers.” She also said: “Never underestimate a mom on a mission. Never count her out. The fight for common sense is far from over.”
Key facts
- Seat: open U.S. Senate seat after Sen. Joni Ernst’s retirement
- Winner: Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek (~50.5%)
- Runner-up: Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson (~46.4%)
- Third: Thomas Laehn (~3.1%)
- Last Democratic Iowa Senate win before this: 2008 (NBC News)
- AP called the race; NPR reported the win
Sources: NBC News; AP; NBC Sports; CBS2 Iowa; NPR; X/@TheDemocrats; X/@turek4iowa; X/@turek4iowa
