(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Democrats have selected State Representative Josh Turek to face Republican Ashley Hinson for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat. “Iowa sure does love an underdog and we have done it tonight,” Turek said, to extended cheers from a crowd at his campaign headquarters in Des Moines.
“After 10 months traveling this state and hundreds of events meeting with Iowans in every corner of the state, I am proud to say we have won this primary.” Turek, who’s from Council Bluffs, will get national support as Democrats hope to win the seat currently held by Iowa Republican Joni Ernst, who’s not seeking reelection.
“Whether you are a Republican, an independent or a Democrat, there is room for you here in our campaign,” Turek said. “Together we can win this race and together we can change this state and change this country.”
Turek was born with spina bifida due to his father’s expose to Agent Orange in Vietnam and is the first permanently disabled member of the Iowa legislature. Turek says he’s running because the status quo is not working.
“Families are struggling just to keep food on the table and roof above their heads. Farmers are living in constant fear of foreclosure…We have 250 more health care clinics than we have opened in the last 15 years,” Turek said. “…This is not the state that we all love.”
Turek finished ahead of fellow Democrat Zach Wahls, a state senator from Coralville. “The work that we began together one year ago this month does not end tonight. It is going to end in November when Representative Josh Turek defeats Ashley Hinson,” Wahls said, to cheers. Wahls says he ran because there’s corruption in Washington that must be rooted out.
“It is strangling the American Dream and we all know that it is long past time for a new generation to step up and do something about it,” Wahls said. “Those beliefs are still true.” Congresswoman Ashley Hinson easily won the Iowa Republican Party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate over challenger Jim Carlin. Hinson vows to follow in Senator Joni Ernst’s footsteps and keep the seat in the Republican column.
“She has spent the last 12 years sending Washington’s fattest hogs running for the hills and when I pick up this baton in November, you all have my word, the squealing’s not going to stop,” Hinson said. “It’s only going to get louder.” Hinson spoke to supporters last night in Cedar Rapids.
“When we launched this campaign we did it in the only way that we now how: full speed, no hesitation, no holding back…I’m going to be your next U.S. Senator!” Hinson said, to cheers. Hinson thanked President Trump for endorsing her and suggested her Democratic opponent is running in the wrong state.
“He ought to pack up and move to New York City with his friends Chuck Schumer and AOC,” Hinson said, “because Turek does not share our values, he embraces their values.”
