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Donald Trump dominated the conversation at a televised Iowa Senate debate Wednesday night, even though the president was more than 1,000 miles away campaigning in Texas. Democrat Josh Turek, a state representative, and Republican Representative Ashley Hinson clashed sharply over Trump’s economic policies, immigration, Social Security and healthcare at the Iowa Press debate held at a PBS studio in Johnston, about 10 miles north of Des Moines.
Turek Attacks Hinson Over Trump Policies
Turek repeatedly blamed Hinson for supporting Trump policies he says are driving up costs for Iowa families. He pointed to what he called “chaotic tariffs” and the war in Iran as key sources of financial pressure on ordinary residents.
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“The real issue is that Iowans are hurting, and they’re hurting uniquely,” Turek said. He described hearing from constituents struggling to afford food, pay electric bills and cover rent. He added that the conflict in Iran has pushed up fuel costs as well.
Turek also noted that Hinson voted seven times against limiting the war in Iran and five times against restricting Trump’s tariff authority. He used those votes to argue she has consistently sided with the president over Iowa families.
Hinson Fires Back With Sharp Counterattacks
Hinson pushed back hard. She accused Turek of missing votes in the state legislature, called him “too liberal” for Iowa and charged him with lying about her family’s financial dealings.
“It’s one thing to vote like an East Coast liberal; it’s another to lie like them,” she said. She also attacked Turek for what she described as a flip-flop on his willingness to work with Trump. “You trashed the president during the primary, and now you’re doing ads saying you’re going to work with him,” she said. “It’s a tale of two Tureks.”
Despite the sharp exchanges, the debate remained notably civil by current political standards. Hinson expressed sympathy over Turek’s sister’s cancer diagnosis. Turek, in turn, acknowledged the personal toll of negative campaign advertising on both candidates. Both also pledged to work across party lines regardless of who holds the White House.
“You work with the person who’s going to sign the bills, no matter who that person is, on things that are important to your state, and that’s exactly what I’ve done,” Hinson said. She pointed to bipartisan legislation signed by President Joe Biden on stillbirth prevention and rural veterans’ mental health services, for which she served as the lead Republican House sponsor.
Immigration, Social Security and Healthcare Divide the Candidates
Immigration emerged as one of the debate’s most contentious topics. Hinson cited high border crossing numbers during the Biden administration as evidence that Democrats cannot be trusted on the issue. She credited Trump and Republicans with bringing illegal crossings to near zero.
“We have now sealed off the border, that just took about six months to get that done, and now we have zero crossings happening at our southern border,” she said.
Turek, however, said he would not support funding for the Department of Homeland Security without significant reforms to immigration enforcement. He called for mandatory body cameras and revised use-of-force standards for federal officers. He also referenced the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, killed by federal officers during an immigration crackdown in Minnesota earlier this year.
“What I am talking about is we can have safe and secure borders, and we need to have a pathway to earn citizenship for those that have come here legally,” Turek said.
On Social Security, Turek proposed removing the cap on Social Security taxes to keep the program financially stable. That cap currently exempts income above $184,500 per year from Social Security contributions. He argued it is unfair that teachers, police officers and firefighters pay the tax all year while the wealthiest Americans pay it for only a fraction of the year.
Hinson countered that lifting the cap alone would not fully fund Social Security. Instead, she called for a federal commission to develop a comprehensive reform plan for Congress to vote on. She accused Turek of “fearmongering” on the issue.
Turek also accused Hinson of cutting Medicaid, healthcare premium subsidies and food assistance to fund tax breaks for the wealthy. Hinson responded by highlighting her support for eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security checks — provisions included in Trump’s major tax legislation last year. Turek said he supports those provisions as well.
A Competitive Race in a Reliably Republican State
Recent polls show the Iowa Senate race as essentially a dead heat. Several surveys have placed each candidate ahead within the margin of error. Iowa has leaned heavily Republican in recent years. Trump carried the state in all three of his presidential campaigns, and Republicans currently hold both Senate seats and all four U.S. House seats.
However, Trump’s low approval ratings have weighed on Republican candidates in Iowa and across the country. The Senate seat became available because Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican, chose to honor a self-imposed two-term limit.
Democrats last won a statewide federal race in Iowa more than a decade ago. Barack Obama carried the state in two presidential elections, and Senator Tom Harkin won re-election to a fifth term in 2008.
Three journalists — from Iowa PBS, the Des Moines Register and The Gazette of Cedar Rapids — asked questions during Wednesday’s debate. The candidates also sparred over taxes and other economic issues throughout the evening.
On the question of presidential authority, Hinson declined to directly address whether Trump overstepped by planning a White House ballroom and promising $5,000 payments to Americans if Republicans win Congress. Turek declined to rule out voting to remove Trump from office if the House impeaches him, though he said he has no interest in pursuing impeachment.
In a notable moment, Hinson said she would work with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer if Democrats win the majority. “I got things across the line with Nancy Pelosi as speaker, so I think that shows that I can work with anyone,” she said. She also accused Turek of benefiting from corporate money flowing through Schumer-backed super PACs, calling it “laundered corporate PAC money.” Turek declined to denounce the political action committees supporting his campaign.
