Iowa Democrat Josh Turek is out with his first TV ad of the Senate campaign, pledging to “take on Trump.”
The 30-second spot, shared first with NBC News, does not mention his opponent in the Democratic primary, state Sen. Zach Wahls. But it does feature footage of the likely Republican nominee, Rep. Ashely Hinson, standing behind Trump and wearing a red MAGA hat.
“Working families are losing their health care because of Trump’s Medicaid cuts. And our farmers are hurting from his tariffs. Iowans feel like they’re pushing uphill, and I know exactly what that feels like,” Turek says as footage plays of him using his wheelchair to go up a hill, “because it’s working-class families like mine paying the price for Trump’s war and Washington’s corruption.”
The ad will run on TV, streaming and digital platforms across the state, where Turek is seeking to fill the seat held by Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, who is not running for re-election.
Turek, who was born with spina bifida, is a Paralympian with two gold medals in basketball. He was first elected to the state House in 2022 and represents a district Trump carried in 2024.
Trump won Iowa by 13 percentage points in 2024, but that didn’t stop Turek from saying he’ll push back on the president if he’s elected.
“I opposed their Medicaid cuts, abortion bans and attacks on our rights, and I always will,” Turek says in the ad. “In the Senate, I’ll take on Trump, and no one will push harder for change.”
