IA-SEN: Is Iowa the Senate Race No One Saw Coming?
Something might be happening in Iowa.
Despite its reputation as a solidly Republican state, Iowa is increasingly coming up in conversations of Senate races to watch this year. And that glimmer of optimism is playing out in the fight for the Democratic nomination, which saw a significant shift Monday evening, with one of three contenders announcing he was stepping aside and endorsing state Rep. Josh Turek, a paralympian gold medalist and state lawmaker.
We're seeing the field consolidate around the most electable candidate because I fundamentally believe that Iowa is in play far more than what people on the coast realize,” Turek tells TIME. “I think we are going to be the center of the political universe here in 2026. There's no other state where you're looking at being able to flip three of the four congressional seats, flip the Senate seat, and flip this Governor's race.”
Turek is pointing to how not only Senator Joni Ernst but Gov. Kim Reynolds chose not to run for another term, marking the first time since 1968 both gigs are open on the same ballot in Iowa. For many observers, both GOP incumbents opting out of the midterms is a sign of the party’s broader troubles with an electorate weary of President Donald Trump’s version of the GOP.
https://time.com/7378634/democrats-senate-iowa-josh-turek-zach-wahls-nathan-sage/
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