ICYMI: Josh Turek Spotlights the Cost of Washington’s Corruption, Touts Bipartisan Record at Des Moines Register Soapbox

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 17, 2026

ICYMI: Josh Turek Spotlights the Cost of Washington’s Corruption, Touts Bipartisan Record at Des Moines Register Soapbox

The Des Moines Register: “Turek said that’s why ‘I will be laser-focused on costs, corruption, kitchen table issues. The issues that apply to all 3.2 million Iowans.’”

The Gazette: “He promised, if elected, to represent Republicans, independents and Democrats alike while putting the middle class at the center of his agenda.”

Des Moines, IA – Josh Turek kicked off the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox on Friday talking about the cost of corruption in both parties in Washington and reaffirming his commitment to working across the aisle to deliver for Iowans.

Josh, one of Iowa’s most bipartisan and effective lawmakers, talked about the lessons he took from representing the USA at four Paralympic games: it’s about the name on the front of the jersey, not the back, and always putting country over party to get things done for everyday families.

Missed it? See below for highlights.

The Des Moines Register: Josh Turek talks costs, corruption at Iowa State Fair Political Soapbox

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Josh Turek says if he’s elected he wants to take on costs, corruption and kitchen table issues.
Turek says costs are too high for health care, gas, groceries. Turek asked the audience to raise their hands if they’re paying more for groceries, gas and insurance.
“Everywhere I’m going, I’m hearing the same thing,” he said. “I’m hearing — regardless of it’s an urban area, a rural area — Iowans telling me, ‘I’m struggling. I’m struggling just to keep a roof above my head, food on the table, and now with this war in Iran struggling just to keep gas in my tank.’ By every single metric, this state is going in the wrong direction.”
“I think one of the best things we can do to lower costs is we’ve got to end this war in Iran. That’s one of the best things that we can do,” he said. “Secondly, I think that we can put guardrails on insurance. I mean, insurance rates are skyrocketing. I’m someone that believes that doctors should be deciding care, not insurance companies.”
Turek said he wants to attack corruption in Washington, D.C., by overhauling the country’s campaign finance laws and passing new ethics rules for members of Congress and the Supreme Court.
“I say all the time, we can have oligarchy or we can have democracy, but we cannot have both,” Turek said. “And right now, what we have is we have outsize influence from billionaires and large corporations that are buying off the political process.
“I’m also going to fight for every single member of Congress to host at least one annual town hall,” he said. “Because members of Congress should be accountable to their constituents, to the people, not just to the billionaires, donors and lobbyists.”
Turek called it “the honor of my life” to be able to represent the United States in the Paralympics, where he won two gold medals in wheelchair basketball.
“What I learned representing my country in the Paralympics was it’s not about the back of the jersey, it’s about the front of the jersey. It said USA across the front,” he said. “And I really took that philosophy with me when I went to the Iowa Capitol. I never viewed this through this tribalistic idea of, is this a Republican idea or is this a Democratic idea? No, this is about what is best for the people.”
Turek said that’s why “I will be laser-focused on costs, corruption, kitchen table issues. The issues that apply to all 3.2 million Iowans.”
“In my time in the Iowa Legislature, I’m very proud I voted with Republicans over 700 times,” he said. “I’ve been ranked as one of the most bipartisan members of the Iowa Legislature and one of the most effective members of the Iowa Legislature. And that is exactly what I will do in D.C.”

The Gazette: Josh Turek pitches anti-corruption, cost agenda at Iowa State Fair

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Josh Turek cast his campaign Friday as a fight against political corruption and rising costs for working families, arguing at the Iowa State Fair that corporate influence, tariffs and the war in Iran are squeezing Iowans and hollowing out rural communities.
Speaking at The Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs and four-time Paralympian, pledged to push campaign finance and congressional ethics reforms while focusing on what he called “cost, corruption, kitchen-table issues.”
Turek opened by describing growing up in a working-class Council Bluffs family that bought clothes at Goodwill and relied on free summer lunch programs. Born with spina bifida, Turek said he underwent 21 surgeries before age 12, experiences he said shaped his views on healthcare.
“I understand the importance of affordable and accessible healthcare, and I believe that healthcare is a human right,” Turek said.
Turek said his entry into politics was driven partly by his experience working in healthcare, where he assessed and provided mobility equipment for patients with progressive conditions such as muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig’s disease. After Iowa privatized its Medicaid program, Turek said he saw a 1,000% increase in denial rates.
Turek devoted much of his Soapbox speech to rising costs, arguing that decisions made in Washington have compounded financial pressure on Iowa families — from the gas pump to the grocery aisle to medical bills.
“Everywhere I’m going, I’m hearing the same thing,” Turek said. “Iowans telling me, ‘I’m struggling. I’m struggling just to keep a roof above my head, food on the table and now with this war in Iran, struggling just to keep gas in my tank.’ ”
Turek blamed Hinson for supporting policies he said have worsened those pressures, including supporting President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and for continuing the war in Iran. He also criticized her healthcare votes, saying they would result in tens of thousands of Iowans losing coverage while thousands more are seeing premiums double or triple.
Turek said he would not accept corporate political action committee donations and accused Hinson of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from corporate PACs while growing wealthier during her time in Congress.
Turek described his governing philosophy as “common-sense, prairie populism,” saying he has worked with Republicans in the Iowa Legislature and would do the same in Washington.
Asked about Trump administration officials visiting Iowa to promote Republican tax policies, Turek said some provisions have merit. “I agree with him that we should have no tax on tips and overtime,” Turek said of President Donald Trump. “I agree with him that we need to drive private equity out of housing. I’m willing to work with anyone across the aisle.”
He promised, if elected, to represent Republicans, independents and Democrats alike while putting the middle class at the center of his agenda.

KGAN: The first candidate to take the stage at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox is Democrat Josh Turek

First candidate to take the stage at the Des Moines Register political soapbox is Democrat Josh Turek, who’s hoping to flip Iowa’s US Senate seat from red to blue.
Political forecasters say this race could be more competitive than usual since it’s an open seat after Senator Jonie Ernst announced she would not be seeking reelection.
“Right candidate with the right message and I believe that message is common sense prairie populism and the right work ethic, we can win. And I believe that this is the year that the pendulum is going to swing back and we are going to be able to win this US Senate seat and have a senator that is fighting for the people, not just for the billionaires and the large corporations.”
Turek tells fairgoers it’s time for a change in Congress, pointing to issues he says Iowans are facing, including high cost and health care facility closures, along with Iowa farmers that are struggling. He highlighted the importance of working across the aisle and criticized Senate Democrats for not passing a new farm bill.
“Something I’ve learned in the Iowa legislature is you never get 100% of what you want. […] Are there some flaws in the bill? Yes, absolutely. But I don’t think that we should let perfection stand in the way of progress. We’re already 3 years overdue. Our Iowa farmers are hurting. And so I would be in favor of voting that, moving that along because as I’ve been traveling the state, I’m hearing more and more and more. I’m really concerned that we’re going to lose what remains of our small family farms.”

KCCI: Close Up: Candidates make their case to Iowa voters at the State Fair

State Representative Josh Turek took the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox stage on Friday. He is the Democratic candidate hoping to replace Joni Ernst in the U.S. senate.
Here’s what he had to say to voters about himself and his vision for Iowa.
“What you will get from me is someone that will be laser focused on cost corruption, kitchen table issues, the issues that apply to all 3.2 million Iowans. I don’t care if it’s a Republican idea or Democratic idea. I will be out there always focused on what is best for the people, what’s best for Iowans, what’s best for our workers, and what is best for the middle class that is being hollowed out. That is my promise to each and every one of you.”
“We are basically dead last for every single healthcare metric. Just since Ashley Hinson has gotten elected, 842 health care clinics or health care entities have closed in this state. We’ve got a cancer crisis. We’ve got a water quality crisis that we are not addressing at the state or at the federal level. We have seen public education, the point of personal pride for all Iowans, dropped from the gold standard down to the bottom half, because we’re giving private schools public money. And now because of the tariffs and because of the war in Iran, we lead the nation in farm foreclosures. This is not the state that we grew up in. This is not the state that we know. Iowans are ready for change.”
“I want to make sure that the American dream is still accessible to every single person. That’s why I’m out there laser focused, a livable wage, affordable housing, affordable health care, driving down costs to the middle class.
“That is what you’re going to get from me, a senator for all Iowans.”

Radio Iowa: Candidates for governor, US Senate campaign at Iowa State Fair

Democrat Josh Turek spoke at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair Friday, promising to support legislation in the U.S. Senate that would require corporations to reveal political spending to shareholders.
“I am going to fight for campaign finance reform…but second, I’m going to fight for ethics reforms — both to the Supreme Court and members of congress,” Turek said. “I’m going to fight for term limits.”
Turek told the crowd billionaires and corporations are corrupting the political process. “And I’m also going to fight for every single member of congress to have at least one annual town hall,” Turek said, “because members of congress should be accountable to their constituents…not just to the billionaires, donors and lobbyists.”

KTIV: Josh Turek on Cost and Corruption at the Soapbox

“The cost of corruption on both sides of the aisle. How many of you are paying more for your groceries right now? How many of you are paying more for gas? Insurance? Everyone.”

###