Monday evening in Council Bluffs, Iowa, marked a pivotal moment in the state’s 2026 U.S. Senate race. Iowa State Representative J.D. Scholten, a familiar face in Democratic politics and a former minor league baseball pitcher, officially suspended his campaign and threw his full support behind fellow State Representative Josh Turek. The announcement, which had been anticipated by some insiders but still managed to surprise many, instantly reshaped the Democratic primary field and intensified the spotlight on the contest to challenge Republican Senator Joni Ernst.
Scholten, who launched his Senate bid in early June 2025, was among the first Democrats to jump into the race against Ernst, a two-term incumbent. Scholten’s decision to exit, made public on August 18, 2025, came after what he described as deep reflection and a sense of responsibility to both his party and the people of Iowa. “Today I am suspending my campaign. I know this may come as a surprise but I made this decision because I think it’s in the best interest of Iowans and myself,” Scholten stated, according to Newsweek.
From the outset, Scholten had argued that a “prairie populist athlete from Western Iowa” would be the best candidate to win the general election. In a moment of both humility and confidence in his colleague, he added, “I still do, but instead of me, I have complete confidence that Josh Turek can take this on. That’s why I am suspending my campaign and endorsing him.”
Josh Turek, representing Council Bluffs in the Iowa House, entered the Senate race just a week earlier, on August 12, 2025. Turek’s candidacy immediately drew attention—not just for his late entry into the race, but for his compelling personal story and his reputation as a two-time Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball. Turek, who was born with spina bifida and underwent 21 surgeries by age 12, grew up relying on public assistance programs like Medicaid, Iowa’s Area Education Agencies, and free summer lunch programs, as noted by Newsweek. His lived experience has become a cornerstone of his campaign, especially as health care remains a decisive issue in the race.
Both Scholten and Turek have said that their decisions to run were, in part, responses to Senator Ernst’s controversial comments about Medicaid cuts. At a town hall, Ernst remarked, “we are all going to die,” in response to concerns about Medicaid, a statement that both galvanized her opponents and sparked clarifications from her office. Turek, reflecting on the importance of these issues, said, “I think that’s what put me over the top on this — her coming out with a level of callousness and just a complete lack of empathy and understanding of the plight of what the average person is going through.”
Scholten, in his endorsement, highlighted the urgency of the moment: “We can’t sit by while healthcare is ripped from millions of Americans and there’s no better Democrat in Iowa to hold Joni to account for her cruelty than my friend fighter State Rep. Josh Turek.” He continued, “Ultimately, I decided he could carry the issues I deeply care about — universal health care, breaking up monopolies that are hurting farmers and consumers, getting special interests out of politics. As his friend, I’m proud to support him.”
Turek, for his part, was quick to recognize the significance of Scholten’s support. “I am honored to have the support of J.D. Over the last several years, J.D. and I have fought alongside one another in the state legislature to lower costs for Iowa’s families, to make health care more affordable and accessible, to make housing more affordable, and to make life a little bit easier and a little bit better for Iowa’s families,” Turek said in a statement, as reported by the Des Moines Register and Newsweek. “We have an incredible opportunity to beat Joni Ernst in 2026, and I’m proud to join forces with J.D.”
The Democratic primary remains crowded, even after Scholten’s exit. Other contenders include state Senator Zach Wahls, who recently secured the endorsement of Ironworkers Local 89, former Knoxville Chamber of Commerce Director Nathan Sage, and Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris. Sage and Wahls have both posted impressive fundraising numbers, raising $709,000 and $656,000 respectively in the second quarter of 2025, while Scholten’s campaign trailed with just over $175,000. Norris, having announced her campaign in August, has yet to report fundraising figures.
Wahls, who toured an ironworking apprenticeship program in Cedar Rapids on the same day as Scholten’s announcement, emphasized his commitment to labor and working families. “During his time in the Iowa Senate, Zach has proven himself as a champion for working families, and Ironworkers know he will never waver in the fight for better wages, a secure retirement and the right of workers to collectively bargain,” said Ironworkers Local 89 Business Manager Seth Gorman in a statement shared by Wahls’ campaign.
On the Republican side, Senator Ernst has not yet formally announced her reelection bid but has signaled her intentions. Speaking at a Republican breakfast on August 13, Ernst told Democrats to “bring it on.” Two Republicans, former state Senator Jim Carlin and Joshua Smith, have declared their intent to challenge Ernst in the GOP primary. According to the Associated Press, Ernst has raised nearly $1.8 million in the first half of 2025 and has scheduled an October fundraiser, suggesting preparations for a reelection campaign. Early polling shows Ernst with a slight edge over a generic Democrat, leading by two percentage points according to a June Public Policy Polling survey.
For Turek, the path ahead is anything but easy. He won his first election for Representative by just six votes, a fact he now uses as a rallying cry. He says if each of his supporters can bring six more people to the polls in November 2026, he believes victory is within reach. “The truth of the matter is we need to do very well out here in the 4th District to be able to win statewide,” Turek told the Des Moines Register. “And so having J.D.’s endorsement is certainly going to be able to help us in that area.”
Scholten, for his part, remains committed to helping Turek’s campaign, offering to introduce him to connections from his own congressional runs and to campaign statewide wherever needed. “I think this race is 100% winnable for Democrats, but it’s uphill,” Scholten said. “And we have to have the best candidate, have the best campaign. And so I feel Josh can do it.”
As the race for Iowa’s Senate seat heats up, the Democratic primary is shaping into a contest not just of personalities, but of priorities—health care, labor, and the lived experiences of everyday Iowans. With Scholten’s endorsement, the focus now turns to whether unity and shared values can propel Turek to victory in what’s sure to be a closely watched and hard-fought election.
