Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg teamed up with Democratic Iowa Senate candidate Josh Turek in hopes of boosting his campaign, as the state representative falls behind Trump-backed Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) on the fundraising front.
Turek secured the nomination over anti-establishment candidate state Sen. Zach Wahls, and his victory turned heads in the Democratic Party toward Iowa as a possible flip opportunity.
Buttigieg, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, has ventured across the United States to join Democratic candidates running in competitive districts. During a trip to Des Moines, Buttigieg also attended a campaign event for Democratic state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, who is hoping to flip Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District blue.
“I’ve seen how hard Josh is working and how strong his vision is,” Buttigieg said. “I can’t wait to see him as a United States senator.”
Democrats view Turek as an electable candidate who can attract independents and disaffected Republicans due to his Hallmark-worthy life story. Turek is wheelchair bound as a result of spina bifida due to his father’s exposure to Agent Orange.
Cook Political Report had rated the seat as “Solid Republican” before the primary election, but Turek’s nomination shifted the race to “Lean Republican” for the seat left open by Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-IA) retirement.
But the paralympian faces tough odds heading into the general election against the state’s political dynamics and a fundraising lag behind Hinson. Iowa has not elected a Democrat to serve as its senator since former Sen. Tom Harkin’s win in 2008.
Additionally, Hinson has about eight times the cash on hand as Turek.
According to filings with the Federal Election Commission, Hinson reported having nearly $8 million in cash on hand at the end of May. Turek, on the other hand, reported just over $700,000 after a bruising primary against Wahls.
Turek holds a decent polling advantage over Hinson, with a recent Fox News poll placing him 4 points ahead in the general election. His primary win over Wahls prompted the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to reconsider how it viewed the party’s chances in the Hawkeye State.
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“Josh Turek is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist who has represented his country on the world stage and has built a reputation in the legislature for working across the aisle to get things done for Iowans,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and DSCC chairwoman Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said in a statement following the primary election. “His nomination tonight puts the Iowa Senate seat firmly in play, and in November, Iowans will reject Ashley Hinson’s self-serving politics and send Josh Turek to the U.S. Senate.”
Republicans are likely to spend big in Iowa on ads painting Turek as a Schumer pick, but the Democratic Senate Majority PAC seems ready for the challenge as it has already reserved $13.4 million to spend in the fall.