Iowa voters participated in Tuesday's primaries, setting the stage for months of intense campaigning ahead of the November midterms in races that could determine control of Congress. In a state the GOP has dominated for the past decade, Democrats believe they can be competitive in three of four House races, the Senate election, and the contest to replace retiring Republican Governor Kim Reynolds.
State Representative Josh Turek won the Democratic primary to replace retiring Republican Senator Joni Ernst, benefiting from millions in outside spending and endorsements from top Democrats. He defeated State Senator Zach Wahls, who pitched himself as an outsider ready to stand up to party elites, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, whom Wahls blamed for weakening the party. The primary turned contentious as Wahls alleged Turek was the establishment favorite, pointing to over $5 million in spending by VoteVets, a PAC that has received money from Schumer's campaign fund. Turek countered that he was more electable, having won in a conservative western Iowa district while Wahls represents a liberal area in eastern Iowa.
Turek will face Republican Representative Ashley Hinson, whom Donald Trump endorsed to replace Ernst. Democrats hope to flip three of Iowa's four House seats, putting the state at the center of their bid to retake the chamber. In the first congressional district, incumbent Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks won her primary against rightwing challenger David Pautsch. Democrat Christina Bohannan won her primary, setting up a third run against Miller-Meeks after losing by about 800 votes in 2024.
In the third district around Des Moines, incumbent Republican Zach Nunn won his primary, while State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott secured the Democratic nomination. With Hinson running for Senate, her second district seat is open; Republicans nominated former State Representative Joe Mitchell, and Democrats picked State Representative Lindsay James. In the heavily Republican fourth district, Republicans nominated Chris McGowan to replace incumbent Randy Feenstra, who is running for governor, while Democrat Dave Dawson faces long odds.