Josh Turek Flips Iowa Senate Seat, Beats Ashley Hinson

Democrat Josh Turek defeated Republican Ashley Hinson to win Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. NBC News and Decision Desk HQ called the race just before 10:30 p.m. Central time, the Des Moines Register reported. Turek becomes the first Democrat to win a Senate race in Iowa since 2008.

Decision Desk HQ marked the Iowa Senate race decided at 11:16 p.m. EST on November 3. In its 11:29 p.m. EST update, Turek had 630,464 votes, 50.99 percent, to Hinson at 566,572 votes, 45.82 percent. USA Today live coverage at 11:26 p.m. ET also reported that Turek prevailed over Hinson, with Decision Desk HQ and NBC reporting the result, in a state President Donald Trump won by 13 points two years ago.

An open seat

The seat was open because Republican Senator Joni Ernst opted not to seek reelection. Turek launched his campaign in August 2025 expecting to run against Ernst, the Des Moines Register reported. Instead he faced Hinson, who represents northeast Iowa's 2nd District in Congress.

The result is the first loss of Hinson's political career. She won two terms in the Iowa House in 2016 and 2018, ousted a Democratic incumbent to win her House seat in 2020 and won reelection twice, according to the Register.

A Paralympian goes to the Senate

Turek, 47, is a state representative from Council Bluffs and a four time Paralympian who won two gold medals in wheelchair basketball. He was born with spina bifida and underwent 21 surgeries by the time he turned 12, the Register reported.

Turek appears to be the first person with a permanent disability to represent Iowa in federal office, and the first Democrat since former Senator Tom Harkin to win a Senate race in Iowa, according to the Register.

One of Iowa's most expensive races

The election was one of the most expensive in Iowa history. The analytics firm AdImpact estimated the candidates and outside groups combined to spend close to 200 million dollars, the Register reported, citing AdImpact. In the Democratic primary, Turek beat state Senator Zach Wahls 63 percent to 37 percent.

The Iowa flip was the sixth Democratic Senate flip reported by USA Today on Tuesday night, completing the set behind the projection that gave Democrats control of the Senate. Republicans had entered the night holding the chamber 53 to 47, and Democrats needed four pickups to take control.

Turek's win gives Iowa a Democratic senator for the first time since the Harkin era, in a state that backed Trump by 13 points in 2024. The call rested on the NBC News and Decision Desk HQ decisions on Tuesday night and the vote totals Decision Desk HQ published at 11:29 p.m. EST.