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Iowa Democrats hoping to flip a US Senate seat are torn over which of 2 hopefuls has the best shot

Wahls makes an anti-establishment case for his candidacy as voters compare the two Democrats’ chances.

Iowa Democrats hoping to flip a US Senate seat are torn over which of 2 hopefuls has the best shot
Image · ABC News

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This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026
ABC News
May 30, 2026
tl;dr

Iowa Democrats weighing Tuesday’s U.S. Senate primary are divided over whether Josh Turek or Zach Wahls is more likely to win the seat in November. Voters and the candidates offer competing arguments about electability and the appeal of their campaigns.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Zach Wahls D · IA
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Wahls in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Wahls’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

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Zach Wahls
D · IA

Iowa state senator and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate

PRIMARY SUBJECT

Iowa state representative and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate

Turek's version of this story ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President of the United States

Ashley Hinson
R · IA-2

Republican U.S. representative and candidate for the GOP Senate nomination

Chuck Schumer
D · NY · SEN

Senate Democratic leader

Joni Ernst
R · IA · SEN

Republican U.S. senator retiring from the seat

ALSO MENTIONED  Barack Obama, Former U.S. president; Rob Sand, Iowa state auditor and candidate for governor; Tom Harkin, Former U.S. senator from Iowa

Part of a bigger story

16 OUTLETS
Josh Turek Wins Iowa Democratic Senate Primary

Josh Turek defeated Zach Wahls in Iowa’s Democratic Senate primary. Before the vote, both candidates argued they could help Democrats win the seat from Republicans in November. Center outlets mostly present the race as an electability contest, comparing the candidates’ appeals and voters’ preferences; a later report covers Turek’s victory.

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