What They're Saying: With Turek's Win, Iowa’s U.S. Senate Seat is in Play

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 9, 2026

What They’re Saying: With Turek’s Win, Iowa’s U.S. Senate Seat is in Play

David Wasserman: “Iowa is probably the single most important state of 2026”

Larry Sabato: “It’s even more than possible that [Democrats] could win it […], because this candidate is very impressive.”

Des Moines, IA – In the days after Josh Turek “decisively” won Iowa’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, political analysts and reporters have had one consistent takeaway: Iowa is in play. Everyone agrees that Josh’s strong electoral record and compelling personal story paired with Hinson’s rampant corruption and the pain she’s causing Iowans makes this election very competitive.

What’s more: recent polls back it up. According to new reporting by POLITICO, Josh Turek starts the general election tied with Ashley Hinson in Iowa’s U.S. Senate race.

Here’s what they’re saying:

Jessica Taylor: “Upon Josh Turek’s nomination, we have shifted our rating from likely Republican to lean Republican. We see this as more competitive […] You might see national Democrats put money into cheaper states that have better nominees, like Josh Turek, who has a compelling personal story.”
David Wasserman: “Iowa is probably the single most important state of 2026.”
Cook Political Report: “Turek, who sailed to victory over a progressive rival who was viewed by national operatives in both parties as the weaker general election candidate, has a unique biography and potential crossover appeal that was enough to prompt us to move the Senate race from Likely to Lean Republican.”
Larry Sabato: “It’s even more than possible that [Democrats] could win it […], because this candidate is very impressive. […] You know, it’s not going to be easy for Democrats to win it, but they actually have a shot because they have a strong gubernatorial candidate in Rob Sand and I think they have a strong Senate candidate now in Turek.”
David Axelrod: “For the first time in a very long time, I think Iowa is going to be a very competitive state […] Democrats nominated Josh Turek as their candidate for the Senate, I think he has the best chance to win for that open seat in Iowa […] His district was won by Trump twice. He has a good personal story, a heroic personal story.”
Jen Psaki: “Now it appears the pendulum could very well be swinging back […] A big reason Iowa Democrats are hopeful again is because of candidates like Josh Turek, who won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate last night and has a real shot this November.”
Jeff Zeleny: “There are many key Senate races across the country, there’s no doubt. But Iowa now will become chief among them.”
Mike Nellis: “There’s going to be a lot of races that suck up all the attention. And there’s good reason for a lot of them. Okay, I’m also excited about the Texas Senate race, etc. But if I was to rank the ones that I think are actually winnable, I would rank Iowa well above Texas.”
Brian Tyler Cohen: “I just want to underscore how big of an opportunity we have right now […] We have an amazing slate of candidates between Josh and Rob Sand running for governor. And if we’re able to win here and deliver for people, in subsequent elections, we’ll own that power of incumbency. But this is the perfect election cycle to be able to do that.”
Elaine Godfrey: “[N]ational Democrats and Republicans are now wrestling with a development that, until this week, had registered as little more than a quiet observation in the broadcast-standard English of farm country: Iowa is competitive again […] Turek was the Senate candidate that Iowa Republicans did not want, which is, of course, exactly why Democrats had to have him.”

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