Republican Ad Misleads on Iowa Senate Race
An ad from Ashley Hinson, a Republican contender for the U.S. Senate in Iowa, has been criticized for distorting the legislative history of her opponent, Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek. The race is recognized as one of the most competitive in the 2026 cycle.
Content and Claims of the Ad
The advertisement, created by Hinson’s campaign alongside the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), is titled “Josh Turek: The Darling of the Radical Left.” It accuses Turek of backing a “liberal agenda,” which allegedly includes welfare benefits and voting rights for undocumented immigrants, as well as taxpayer-funded gender-affirming surgeries.
Examining the Claims
These assertions are inaccurate or misleading. Turek has demonstrated bipartisanship by voting with Republicans over 700 times, supporting measures like property tax reductions and income tax cuts for Iowans.
Additionally, Turek broke with his party to endorse heightened penalties for repeat domestic violence offenders and collaborated with Republicans on legislation against the fentanyl trade.
Misleading Implications of Welfare and Voting Rights
The ad’s claim about welfare for undocumented immigrants appears linked to Turek’s opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which passed solely with Republican support. The bill enacts a $1 trillion reduction in Medicaid over ten years, threatening health insurance for about 12 million Americans, and reiterates the prohibition of Medicaid enrollment for undocumented individuals already established by federal law.
The portrayal of Turek as supporting voting rights for undocumented immigrants is similarly unfounded. Federal law prohibits voting by undocumented individuals, with a Bipartisan Policy Center analysis indicating such occurrences are extremely rare.
Gender-Affirming Surgeries and Medicaid
Turek did not advocate for state-funded gender-affirming surgeries. His opposition to the 2025 Health and Human Services Budget bill, which included a clause to block Medicaid from covering these procedures, was based on other concerns. Turek criticized the bill for not addressing Medicaid waitlists or provider shortages.
“We’ve got 670,000 Iowans that are on Medicaid,” Turek stated in a speech. “We’ve got 180,000 of those on Medicaid expansion. We need to do everything that we can to protect these. Health care should be a human right.”
Political Implications
The distortions in Hinson’s ad may indicate a strategic response to polling data, which shows a narrow lead of less than two percentage points over Turek according to recent surveys. Notably, a Democrat has not secured a U.S. Senate seat in Iowa since 2008.
For the original analysis, visit American Journal News.
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