Iowa Democrat Josh Turek's transgender ad draws bipartisan criticism
The gist
Iowa Senate Democrat Josh Turek released an ad opposing males in female sports and taxpayer-funded sex changes.
The ad drew criticism from Republicans and LGBTQ+ advocates in a tied Senate race.
How it unfolded
- Oct 11, 2026Turek spoke to Democrats at state Rep. Sean Bagniewski's annual Fish Fry dinner in Des Moines.
- Oct 25, 2026Turek and Hinson each sought to establish independence from their parties in separate interviews on ABC's "This Week." Turek released an ad titled "Stop the Nonsense" about issues related to transgender Iowans.
- Oct 26, 2026Hinson and other Republicans argued the ad misrepresented Turek's record on transgender issues, while LGBTQ+ advocates called his position a "dramatic" departure from other Democratic candidates. One Iowa Action condemned the ad, and state Rep. Aime Wichtendahl criticized it while saying she had already voted early for Turek. Turek's campaign released two more ads, on diesel prices and healthcare costs.