Josh Turek Campaigns Across Rural Iowa on Annual Biking Trek Ahead of Senate Election
Democratic state legislator and Senate candidate Josh Turek participated in R.A.G.B.R.A.I., Iowa’s annual weeklong biking celebration, navigating a nearly 60-mile stretch between Onawa and Harlan on a handcycle. Turek, 47, who uses a wheelchair due to spina bifida, campaigned through conservative towns near the Nebraska border to engage rural voters months before the November election, facing a steep challenge in a state where Republicans hold all House seats and the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates his race against Representative Ashley Hinson as “lean Republican.”
Athletic Resilience and a Competitive Political Background
Born with spina bifida—which he attributes to his father’s exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War—Turek underwent 21 surgeries at a Minnesota children’s hospital before discovering wheelchair basketball at an adaptive sports camp in Omaha, Nebraska, at age 12. He went on to have a professional wheelchair basketball career and won two gold medals as part of the U.S. Paralympic team. He leveraged his physical disability and resilience into a primary victory last month and previously won re-election to the Iowa legislature in 2024 by five percentage points in a district carried by Donald Trump.
Fundraising, Party Strategies, and High-Stakes Senate Control
Turek is running to succeed retiring Republican Senator Joni Ernst in an election that will help determine control of the Senate, facing a well-funded opponent in Representative Ashley Hinson, a Republican backed by Donald Trump who secured $10.2 million in campaign funds compared to Turek’s $6.3 million. Outside political groups have poured heavily into the contest, with the Senate Majority PAC committing $30.5 million and the Senate Leadership Fund pledging $29 million. While Republicans have criticized Turek’s legislative voting record, Democrats remain hopeful that soaring agricultural costs caused by tariffs and the war in Iran could help shift voter momentum in the state.
Retail Politics Along the Route and Outreach to Skeptical Voters
During the July biking event, Turek engaged in retail politicking by shaking hands, sipping beer, and introducing himself to voters and vendors in towns such as Soldier and Turin. While some cyclists cheered him on and requested yard signs or photos, others remained uncommitted, including a staunch Republican who told the candidate his story was inspiring but he would not win his vote. Turek responded that he had 100 days to win him over as he continued his cycling journey through deep-red Iowa counties.
