Iowa Democrats emerged from the June 2 primaries with State Auditor Rob Sand as their nominee for governor and state Rep. Josh Turek as their nominee for U.S. Senate, setting up two high-profile general-election races in a state Republicans have dominated in recent cycles.
Iowa Democrats say this week’s primary results have given the party candidates they believe can compete beyond the state’s largest metro areas. State Auditor Rob Sand, who had no serious opposition in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, will face Republican Zach Lahn, a businessman who upset U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra in the GOP primary. (apnews.com) In the U.S. Senate race, Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek won his party’s nomination and will take on U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee, in November. Turek, who has competed as a Paralympian and has been described in national coverage as a two-time Paralympic gold medalist, argued in an interview with POLITICO that rural voters feel squeezed by current policies and economic conditions. (apnews.com) Republicans, while acknowledging that Democrats have recruited credible challengers, point to recent voting history as evidence the party remains favored statewide. GOP strategist David Kochel noted to POLITICO that President Donald Trump carried Iowa by 13 percentage points in the most recent presidential election. (theatlantic.com) Democrats are also aiming to make several of Iowa’s U.S. House contests competitive this fall, arguing that pocketbook issues—including trade policy and health care costs—could create openings, particularly in rural areas. Other claims circulating in campaign rhetoric about specific drivers of rural hardship, such as increased farm foreclosures, suicide rates, and clinic closures tied to federal Medicaid changes, vary by source and were not independently confirmed in the materials reviewed. (washingtonpost.com) With both parties now turning toward the general election, early handicapping has suggested a potentially tighter Senate contest than earlier in the cycle, though public polling and race ratings continue to evolve after the primaries. (axios.com)
