Iowa Democrats to settle a competitive Senate primary as the party looks to flip GOP seats this fall

By — Hannah Fingerhut, Associated Press Hannah Fingerhut, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/iowa-democrats-to-settle-a-competitive-senate-primary-as-the-party-looks-to-flip-gop-seats-this-fall Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Iowa Democrats to settle a competitive Senate primary as the party looks to flip GOP seats this fall Politics Jun 2, 2026 6:33 PM EDT DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Democrats on Tuesday will settle one of the party's last competitive U.S. Senate primaries, choosing between two state lawmakers who each say he is better poised to flip a retiring Republican's seat. LIVE RESULTS: Iowa midterm primaries Either Josh Turek or Zach Wahls will go up against a full-throttled Republican defense of two-term Sen. Joni Ernst's seat, which the GOP considers pivotal to keeping its Senate majority. It's one of many competitive races in Iowa attracting national interest, including from the White House. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have both touched down in the state this year to shore up Republican enthusiasm. U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is seeking the GOP nomination and has the backing of Trump and Ernst. She is running against former state Sen. Jim Carlin. Democrats feel hopeful that high prices, lost manufacturing jobs, shuttered healthcare facilities and a struggling agricultural economy will help the party dismantle the all-GOP federal delegation and Republican statehouse trifecta. Leading the ticket is State Auditor Rob Sand, the candidate for governor and the lone Democrat currently holding statewide office. Sand, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary, has been able to hone his moderate message, remind voters of his rural upbringing and amass an $18 million campaign fund. Republicans, meanwhile, must close the door on a five-way primary Tuesday for the nominee to replace outgoing Gov. Kim Reynolds. Tense Senate primary grappled with Democratic establishment and electability As Democrats look to reclaim Senate control, the GOP Senate campaign arm has committed $29 million to help the party's nominee in Iowa. The Democratic Party's ongoing debate over the party's direction and strategy to win back disaffected voters is playing out in the state, albeit with different dynamics than it did in Maine or Texas. Turek and Wahls are aligned on many Democratic positions, including a public health insurance option, higher minimum wage and more labor bargaining rights. They both talk about corruption in politics benefiting corporate interests and hurting working-class people. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. But they campaigned on different visions for how to win statewide in November — and attracted distinct lines of attack from their Republican opponents. Turek is a relative newcomer to elected office. He played professional wheelchair bas