Josh Turek wins Iowa 2026 Senate election, CBS News projects, flipping seat for Democrats

Updated on: November 4, 2026 / 12:00 AM EST / CBS News

Washington — Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek defeated GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson in the Iowa Senate race, CBS News projects, in a major pickup for Democrats as they seek to take control of the upper chamber.

Turek, 47, is a former wheelchair basketball Paralympian and state representative who campaigned on his record of working across the aisle, and sought what was initially viewed as a long-shot bid for the seat in the U.S Senate after GOP Sen. Joni Ernst announced she wouldn't seek reelection.

But the race proved more competitive than expected, despite the state's rightward shift in recent years, as the Trump administration's trade policies, the unpopular war in Iran and high gas and diesel prices hit Iowans especially hard.

Hinson, 43, is a former local news anchor who has represented Iowa in the House since 2021 and initially vowed to be President Trump's "top ally" in the Senate. Hinson had to tread a fine line as she pitched her candidacy in the Hawkeye State. In the weeks ahead of the election, Hinson called for the war to be brought to a "successful and immediate end," though…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/