Josh Turek is Democrats' best chance for Senate seat

A Letter From Iowan Mary Riche

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Josh Turek and Mary Riche. Photo courtesy Mary Riche.

I’m an enthusiastic supporter of Josh Turek in Iowa’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. He is a proven winner and the strongest candidate Democrats have to win back a U.S. Senate seat next November.

Although Josh and I are from different generations and privileged because of our skin color, we share something powerful: We both know what discrimination feels like. That lived experience fuels our mutual passion for the ongoing fight for equality and justice, especially here in Iowa.

I came of age when women could be denied credit in their own names and steered away from professions simply because of gender. By the 1970s, lawmakers finally dismantled some of those barriers. Today, however, much of that progress is becoming a distant memory as Republicans embrace “restorative nostalgia” — a rewriting of history that is reversing progress.

In Iowa, state lawmakers, emboldened by a U.S. Supreme Court that overturned 50 years of precedent, stripped women of bodily autonomy by imposing severe restrictions on reproductive health care. Could this be an example of Iowa lawmakers practicing medicine without a license?

For me, it has been a painful reminder of how fragile freedom truly is.

The likely Republican opponent in November, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, proudly promotes her alignment with President Donald Trump, and together they have worked to dismantle a woman’s right to make her own medical decisions in the exam room without government interference. Reproductive freedom is only one of many issues where she votes as he instructs — too often at the expense of Iowans.

This is precisely why we need a Democratic nominee who is most electable, and I believe Josh Turek is that candidate.

Josh’s personal journey is deeply compelling and inspiring. Born with spina bifida, he had multiple surgeries as a child. Now he uses a wheelchair — and there’s simply no stopping him.

He is a two-time U.S. Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball, an accomplishment built on skills, discipline, teamwork, and an unwavering refusal to be underestimated.

That same grit fueled his run for the Iowa Legislature. When confronted with walk-up apartments and front steps, Josh crawled up flights of stairs — carrying his wheelchair behind him — so he could meet voters face-to-face. He listened. They responded.

And he won his first two elections, including a decisive 2024 victory by nearly 6 percentage points in a district Trump carried by double digits.

Josh calls himself a prairie populist, and it fits. He’s grounded in fairness, opportunity, and the belief that government should help people, not complicate their lives.

I often describe him as a “proud policy nerd” because he genuinely loves digging into the details that matter for working Iowans. His political hero is his friend, former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, the architect of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a law that transformed millions of lives, including Josh’s. It also gave him a blueprint for the kind of public servant he aims to be.

Josh brings something rare to this race: a personal story that crosses political boundaries and a temperament that invites collaboration, not division. He has worked across the aisle in the Iowa Legislature, building relationships and proving that shared goals matter more than party labels. In Washington, where dysfunction is now routine, that quality will be invaluable.

Winning statewide as a Democrat in Iowa in 2026 can be done. It will not be easy. It will take integrity, an Iowa work ethic, resilience, a message that appeals to all Iowans, strong turnout from Democrats “coming home,” and yes, significant resources — because Republicans will spend millions to hold this seat.

This election presents a generational opportunity, and Josh is a proven winner. His discipline, resilience, and grit give him an unmistakable edge on the path to victory.

I’m endorsing Josh because he is a competitor, champion, and the fighter for Iowa women that Iowa needs, He will be a powerful spokesperson for Iowa and a U.S. senator who will make all Iowans proud.

Mary Riche
Des Moines, Iowa

Mary Riche is a lifelong feminist, past president of (Iowa) Planned Parenthood, founding officer of the 501(c)(3) Iowa Coalition for Reproductive Freedom, and an advocate for reproductive freedom and abortion rights. You can reach me via email at maryriche@gmail.com.

Letters From Iowans is a part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. We encourage you, our subscribers, to share your perspective in this column. To make your voice heard, use this form to send us your essay:

Letters From Iowans FORM