By David Morgan
WASHINGTON, June 2 (Reuters) – Iowa State Representative Josh Turek, who describes himself as a “common-sense prairie populist,” won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday and a chance in November to become the party’s first senator from the farm-belt state since 2008.
Turek, who is backed by national Democrats and former Democratic Senator Tom Harkin, defeated state Senator Zach Wahls 63.7%-36.3% with 30.6% of the vote counted, according to the Associated Press. He will square off against Republican U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson, who won her party’s nomination for the open seat.
Meanwhile, Iowa businessman and farmer Zach Lahn was projected to win the Republican primary for governor. He defeated three other candidates, including U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Lahn narrowly defeated Feenstra, 37.79%-37.01%, according to the Associated Press.
In the Democratic primary for governor, Iowa state auditor Rob Sand ran unopposed and will face Lahn in November.
Democrats are hoping to make gains in Iowa in November’s midterm elections at a time when high prices have hit the state’s agricultural economy hard, in part due to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran that Trump launched in February, which has interrupted oil shipping lanes, and his tariffs on foreign imports.
Turek and Hinson are running to replace Republican Joni Ernst, a two-term senator and retired military officer whose decision to retire from Congress has given Democrats hopes of picking up the seat in the general election and potentially taking control of the Senate.
Turek, a 47-year-old gold medalist in Paralympic wheelchair basketball, has a history of getting elected in Republican areas, which supporters say could help him appeal to disaffected Republicans and independents at a time of rising economic anxiety. He has also championed access to healthcare, a living wage, affordable housing and other policies important to working families.
Hinson, a 42-year-old three-term congresswoman and former news anchor, is backed by Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Ernst. She opposed legislation that ultimately codified the right to same-sex marriage and has campaigned on her support for Trump’s 2025 tax-cut and spending bill.
Independent analysts rate Iowa’s open Senate seat as likely to remain Republican. Polling data suggests a tight race in November, with Turek leading by a single percentage point, according to the poll-tracking website, RealClearPolitics.com.
(Reporting by David Morgan and Richard Cowan; Editing by Lincoln Feast.and Chizu Nomiyama )
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