Facing Open Senate Race, Turek Urges Iowans to "Take the Power Back"

The fire, the vote, the triumph — when it happens, Decorah News shows up. Support us being there. DECORAH — Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek told attendees at a Friday town hall at Decorah Congregational United Church of Christ that Iowa is poised for political change, arguing that his background, policy focus and personal history make him a strong contender for the state's open U.S. Senate seat. Turek, who represents Council Bluffs and Carter Lake in the Iowa Legislature, noted he is the first permanently disabled member of the body and described his life story as central to his decision to seek federal office. "I was born with spina bifida due to my father's exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam," he said, adding that he had 21 surgeries before age 12 and that his family relied on Shriners Hospital because it was the "only care they could afford." He tied those experiences to his health policy priorities. "I understand the importance of affordable and accessible health care, and I believe that health care is a human right," Turek said. He spoke about insurance denials, Medicaid privatization and long waits for disability services, saying Iowa's system has struggled to meet residents' needs. "We've got 26,000 disabled Iowans on the Medicaid wait list. The longest wait right now is seven years for basic care," he said. Turek also framed the race as a chance to elect a senator in the mold of former Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin, calling Harkin his "political hero" and saying, "I am only here because of the work done with the Americans with Disabilities Act." He said Iowans "deserve to once again have a senator that is going to fight for the people, not just look out for billionaires and large corporations." Turek also positioned the race as an opportunity to elect a senator in the mold of former Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin, whom he called his "political hero." He said the Americans With Disabilities Act shaped his life and argued, "[Iowans] deserve to once again have a senator that is going to fight for the people, not just look out for billionaires and large corporations." Criticism of Hinson and GOP leadership Much of Turek's critique centered on Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson. He said she declined to meet with him when he sought to discuss health care cuts. "The only (representative) that would not even meet with me was Hinson," he said. Turek linked broader state trends to GOP leadership, arguing Iowa faces a "cancer epidemic," rural hospital closures, school funding inequities, and a worsening farm economy. "We're living uniquely through a water quality crisis," he added, citing nitrate levels and soil erosion. Economic message centered on affordability Describing himself as a "common-sense prairie populist," Turek said affordability is the core of his campaign. He called for raising the federal minimum wage and ending subminimum pay for disabled workers. "$7.25 is not a livable wage … the very first bill that I will sponsor will be a dignity and work bill," he said. Turek also said private equity ownership of housing is driving up costs. "Private equity is buying up about 40% of the single-family homes. It is making the American dream impossible," he said. He noted he has repeatedly introduced a moratorium bill in the Legislature and wants to pursue a similar proposal in the Senate. Rural concerns and a warning of "Farmageddon" Audience questions focused on farmland consolidation, input costs, tariffs and the influence of groups such as the Farm Bureau. Turek said rural Iowa is facing what he called "a Farmageddon," adding, "We are second in the nation in terms of farm foreclosures." He criticized recent federal tariff policy as "chaotic" and said some farmers were misled by promises that the decisions would benefit them. "These farmers have been betrayed," he said. Turek called for passing a new farm bill, expanding market access, incentivizing cover crops and addressing concerns about market concentration. "Our farmers need markets, not subsidies," he said. Reproductive rights and campaign finance reform Turek said he would work to codify Roe v. Wade, stating, "I will do everything that I can to codify Roe to ensure that every Iowan has access to reproductive freedom." He also stated that he has pledged not to take corporate PAC money, saying, "We can have oligarchy or we can have democracy, but we cannot have both." Closing message: "six vote initiative" Turek noted that he outperformed the Democratic ticket in his district. "Trump won my county by 20 points … I was able to win by six points," he said. He told attendees that Iowa is not as politically one-sided as some believe. "We are a common-sense state that is masqueraded as a red state," he said, pointing to past split-ticket voting. Turek closed by urging supporters to bring others to the polls. "If each and every one of us talks to six of your family members … or brings six people to the polls, this will be enough for us to be able to change the state and change this country," he said. Learn more about Turek's campaign here. Never a dull moment! Subscribe to the free DecorahNews.com newsletter and stay one step ahead with local news and information you just can't get anywhere else.