Iowa Senate Candidates Clash Over Voting Records, Campaigning

During a televised debate Tuesday night, the race for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat intensified as Republican Ashley Hinson challenged Democratic State Rep. Josh Turek on his legislative attendance record. Turek has faced criticism for missing a significant number of votes in the Iowa State House while campaigning across the state.

Hinson brought up Turek's absences during a discussion on Iowa's rising cancer rates, stating, "You have to show up to vote for things like pediatric cancer research." She highlighted that Turek missed 261 votes between January and May, representing nearly 58% of the total votes during that period.

Turek defended his record, asserting that his campaign efforts, which have included visits to all 99 Iowa counties and numerous public forums, are a necessary part of connecting with constituents. He contrasted this with Hinson, whom he accused of not holding any in-person town halls since announcing her Senate candidacy.

"I have gone out there, and I have met with Iowans all over the state, all 99 counties, hundreds of public forums," Turek responded to the moderator's question about his missed votes. "Meanwhile, Ashley Hinson, since she's decided to run for U.S. Senate, has not done one in-person town forum."

Hinson countered Turek's claims, asserting that she has conducted more town halls and emphasized her own voting record. "I have done more town halls than the percentage of time he showed up to work this year. 42% of the time is all Rep. Turek showed up to work this year," Hinson stated. She further elaborated that Iowans would not reward someone who misses two out of every five days of work, comparing it to job performance.

Hinson's campaign provided further details, stating that she has held 47 in-person and over 30 telephone town halls since being elected to Congress. They also clarified that the 193 votes Hinson missed occurred over her entire tenure in Congress, while Turek's 261 missed votes were specific to the 2026 legislative session. The campaign also noted Hinson's 98.8% lifetime voting record compared to Turek's 42% voting record in the State House for the current year.

In response to Turek's accusation, Hinson's campaign communications director, Billy Fuerst, said, "Ashley has a 98.8% lifetime voting record while Josh Turek registered a 42% voting record in the State House this year. Ashley missed 16% (94 of 553) of committee amendment votes over the course of her congressional tenure, but has been present for all final passage votes... in her time on the Appropriations Committee — 70 total bills since 2021."

Turek's campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the campaign's specific figures.