Iowa’s 2026 Senate race: What to know about Josh Turek vs Ashley Hinson
FILE-Side-by-side photo of Ashley Hinson and Josh Turek. Hinson speaks during a fundraiser on August 23, 2025 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Turek speaks to guests during a campaign event at the Noethe family farm on May 29, 2026 in Westside, Iowa. (Photos b
The midterm elections are approaching, and with control of Congress at stake, some key senate races nationwide will determine if Republicans can maintain control of the House and Senate or whether Democrats reclaim power in both chambers.
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One of the senate races to watch during the November midterms is Iowa, and here’s what you need to know ahead of the elections.
What to know about the candidates
The backstory:
Democrat Josh Turek, and Republican Ashley Hinson, are running for Iowa’s U.S. Senate election. Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, who has held the office since 2015, is not seeking re-election, according to The Gazette in Iowa.
Josh Turek
Josh Turek is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Iowa. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. He advanced from the Democratic primary on June 2, 2026.
Turek, a former professional basketball player and Paralympic medalist, is a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, representing District 20 with his current term ending on January 1, 2027. He’s also not running for re-election to Iowa House of Representatives District 20 in 2026.
Ashley Hinson
Ashley Hinson was elected to the U.S. House in 2020 and represented the 67th District in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2017 to 2021. She was also a reporter at KCRG-TV in Iowa.
Hinson's campaign website says on her website that she’s working with President Donald Trump to secure the nation’s borders and slash wasteful spending. She noted on her website that she has introduced and supported bipartisan legislation to refine child care access for families in Iowa.
Why is Iowa important in the November midterm elections?
Dig deeper:
In 2018, Iowa did not have a U.S. Senate election in that midterm election — the first during President Donald Trump’s first term in the White House — Iowa Democrats won 3 of 4 Congressional elections and Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds won her first full term in office by less than 3 percentage points over Democrat Fred Hubbell.
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Iowa hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since 2008 and as the party attempts to flip the seat in a state that's become a Republican stronghold in recent years.
What do the polls say?
By the numbers:
In a Marist Poll published on Sept. 22, Josh Turek held his largest lead over Ashley Hinson. The poll surveyed 1,050 registered Iowa voters and was conducted between September 17 and 20. Voters were contacted by phone, text, or online.
For Iowa’s Senate race, Turek led Hinson with 50% to 42% regarding who the polled voters supported. However, voters still believed Hinson would win over Turek once the election comes.
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YouGov conducted a poll between Sept. 3 and 8 surveying the biggest sampling of likely Iowan voters at 2,169. When asked in the poll who they would vote for, approximately 44% of respondents said Turek over 43% who favored Hinson.
An Emerson poll conducted between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 surveyed 750 likely voters. According to the poll, Hinson leads Turek, 50% to 45%, representing a 2% increase in her support since August.
The Trafalgar Group, which leans conservative, polled 1,089 likely voters in Iowa between Sept. 16 and 18. Researchers asked voters who they would vote for if the election was held the following day, and approximately 44% responded Hinson, while 42.1 percent said Turek.
What’s at stake in the November midterm election?
Big picture view:
Control of Congress is on the line this November. Right now, Republicans are entering the midterms with a 53-47 majority in the Senate (including the two independents who caucus with the Democrats).
The New York Times reports that 35 Senate seats are up for election. To regain the Senate, Democrats would need to hold all of their seats and flip four Republican-held seats.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by The Gazette in Iowa, Josh Turek’s campaign website, Ashley Hinson’s campaign website, a Marist Poll, YouGov poll, Emerson poll, a Trafalgar Group poll, The New York Times, and Ballotpedia, This story was reported from Washington, D.C.