Representative Ashley Hinson and Democratic state Representative Josh Turek are leaning into bipartisan appeals in their campaigns for the U.S. Senate, casting themselves as advocates willing to put state priorities ahead of party loyalty. The open-seat contest to succeed retiring Republican Senator Joni Ernst has emerged as a crucial battleground in the fight for the Republican-controlled U.S.
Iowa's midterms also feature high-stakes contests including the governor's office and three competitive Republican-held House districts. Democrats view the race as a rare opening in the agricultural heartland. The party is aiming to capitalize on voter frustration over the economic fallout from President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs, as well as rising domestic fuel prices tied to ongoing conflict in Iran that have hit farmers particularly hard.
Although Iowa has voted Republican in the Senate elections since 2008, the Cook Political Report has listed Iowa's Senate race as a "toss up." The Hawkeye State also has a history of voting for presidential candidates from both political parties. Trump won Iowa the last three election cycles, but before that, President Barack Obama won Iowa twice. These voters “generally don't care about the political infighting and want officeholders to get things done on the ‘kitchen table’ issues,” he added.
In interviews with ABC News' This Week that aired Sunday, Turek called himself a “proud moderate” and said Trump has done a “better job” than former President Joe Biden on border control. Meanwhile, when Trump-endorsed Hinson was asked about her pledge to be the president's biggest ally in the Senate, she said: “I will be someone's ally when they're with me on the issues that are important to Iowa, and that's what I mean by that across the board. And if they're wrong, I'm going to pick a fight with them, no matter who that is.” Vanderbilt University political science professor John Geer told Newsweek he thinks the Iowa candidates’ focus on working across the political aisle is reflective of broader pressures on both parties.
Both campaigns have questioned the sincerity of the other’s commitment to bipartisanship, with Hinson telling Turek during their October 7 debate: “You trashed the president during the primary, and now you're doing ads saying you're going to work with him. It's a tale of two Tureks.” One of Hinson’s biggest departures from Trump has been on the Iran war. Last month, she called for an “immediate end” to the conflict, saying Iowans were being “squeezed” economically because of it.
Turek’s campaign has targeted this, previously telling Newsweek she was trying to "rewrite her record" saying she “voted to continue the war because she is a multimillionaire who doesn’t care that Iowans are paying more.” Newsweek has contacted offices for Turek and Hinson via email for comment. Turek separated himself from the Democratic Party in his This Week interview when asked whether he thought the party had moved too far left. I think about myself, and I think about Iowa,” he said.
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