Iowa Senate race draws national attention after Obama endorsement
The former president's basketball-themed video for Democrat Josh Turek elevates the open-seat contest against Republican Ashley Hinson.
The race for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat moved onto the national stage Tuesday when former President Barack Obama released a video endorsement of Democratic nominee Josh Turek.
Turek, a current state lawmaker and four-time Paralympic wheelchair basketball player, is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson to replace Sen. Joni Ernst, who is retiring after two terms.
The video, posted to YouTube, features Obama and Turek on a basketball court playing a variation of HORSE spelled I-O-W-A. Obama ties the moment to his own political history in the state.
"I know a little something about winning Iowa," Obama says in the clip, referencing his 2008 caucus win that launched his presidential campaign. He adds: "Of all the things I've done in politics, Iowa was my favorite thing. There was just a magic about regular folks showing up."
The endorsement comes less than two months after Turek defeated state Sen. Zach Wahls in the June 2 primary. Hinson, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, won the Republican nomination the same night.
Trump won Iowa by double digits in 2024. Democrats have not held a Senate seat from the state in over ten years. The Obama video marks his first direct involvement in the 2026 Iowa Senate race and follows his endorsement of a Texas Senate candidate earlier this year.
Linn County voters will decide between Turek and Hinson in November alongside the rest of the state. The former president's involvement suggests Democrats view the seat as competitive despite recent Republican dominance.
Sources
- 1.Obama endorses Iowa Democrat Turek for the US Senate in a video of them playing basketball — KCRG (Gray Television) / Associated Press
- 2.Josh Turek and Ashley Hinson to compete for crucial US Senate seat in Iowa — Associated Press
- 3.Obama endorses Iowa Democrat Turek for the US Senate in a video of them playing basketball — KSL.com / Associated Press
- 4.Paralympic gold medalist Josh Turek wins Iowa Senate primary with establishment support — POLITICO
- 5.5 Things to Know About the Iowa Senate Candidate Josh Turek — The New York Times
- 6.former president barack obama endorses josh turek for senate — KGAN CBS2 — Local News (page scrape)
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