NEW: Former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin Endorses Josh Turek for U.S. Senate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 8, 2026

NEW: Former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin Endorses Josh Turek for U.S. Senate

In the latest sign of momentum, Iowa legend and father of the ADA endorses Josh Turek

Just over a decade since Harkin’s retirement, Josh is running to win Harkin’s seat back

Des Moines, IA – Today, Former United States Senator and Iowa trailblazer Tom Harkin endorsed Josh Turek for the U.S. Senate seat he held for 30 years. The Iowa titan served in the U.S. Senate for 30 years and authored The Americans with Disabilities Act, which proved transformative for the one in five Iowans with a disability, including, at the time, eleven year old Josh Turek from Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The last Iowa Democrat to serve in the United States Senate, Senator Harkin carried 94 of Iowa’s 99 counties in his last election. Senator Harkin was an early endorser in Josh’s 2022 election to the Iowa Legislature. Josh went on to win by just 6 votes and became the first permanently disabled legislator in Iowa history. In 2024, with the backing of Senator Harkin once again, Josh expanded his margin of victory, winning re-election by nearly 6 points and outperforming the top of the ticket by 13 points.

“I was proud and honored to represent my fellow Iowans for 30 years in the U.S. Senate. Thank you, Iowans, for giving me that opportunity, over five statewide elections, to work for you. I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to win an election, and then to faithfully represent all Iowans, not just those who voted for you. That’s why I’m supporting Josh Turek for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in the Democratic primary on June 2,” said Former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin. “Josh Turek has the Iowa values, the Iowa work ethic, the Iowa ‘can do’ spirit, and has won election and re-election to the Iowa House of Representatives in a very challenging area for Democrats. There’s a saying that ‘rough weather makes good timber.’ Josh has had some pretty rough weather in his life, and he is ‘good timber.’ In fact, Josh is as strong and resilient as a good Iowa Bur Oak! He will be a strong and successful advocate in the U.S. Senate for the people of Iowa and for our nation. I ask you to join with me in voting for Josh Turek for U.S. Senate in the June 2 primary, and sending him on to Washington to work for all of us.”

“I am truly humbled and honored to have the endorsement of my political hero, Senator Tom Harkin. Everything I have been able to accomplish has been because of a great United States Senator from Iowa. Senator Harkin and his work on the ADA gave me and so many other disabled Americans an on-ramp onto society. The ADA is an example of the life-changing impact of good public policy championed by good public servants,” said Josh Turek. “As Iowa’s next U.S. Senator, I will continue Senator Harkin’s prairie populist vision, fighting for the working class, social and economic justice, small family farms, and the little guy. Iowa is ready to have a fighter in Washington again, and it will be beautifully poetic when the man who takes back Senator Harkin’s seat is only here because of his work.”

Born with spina bifida as a result of his father’s exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, Josh Turek underwent 21 surgeries before the age of 12, going on to represent the USA at four Paralympic games and ending his career with back-to-back gold medals. He grew up in a working class family in Council Bluffs, Iowa that went to the Goodwill for their clothes and relied on free summer lunch programs. Josh is a common sense prairie populist who is laser-focused on bringing down costs and addressing the corruption in Washington so working class Iowans don’t have to feel like they are constantly pushing uphill.

Today’s news comes as Josh has more momentum at his back than ever before. This week alone, Josh won the first Democratic U.S. Senate primary debate and his campaign released a new poll showing him over 50% in the primary, currently leading his opponent 53-27. Fundraising reports from the first quarter of 2026 made clear that Josh’s unrivaled grassroots momentum helped him outraise his primary opponent, just as he has done since entering the race last summer. More than 80 Iowa leaders have endorsed Josh, including former Attorney General Tom Miller, former Lt. Governor Sally Pederson, and two previous primary opponents who dropped out and immediately joined Team Turek.

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