Iowa Democratic Representative J.D. Scholten announced Monday that he is suspending his 2026 U.S. Senate campaign and endorsing fellow Democratic legislator Josh Turek in the primary race to potentially challenge Republican Senator Joni Ernst.
Newsweek reached out to Scholten via email on Monday for comment.
Why It Matters
Scholten’s endorsement consolidates Democratic support around healthcare advocacy, with Turek bringing a personal perspective to the issue. The two-time Paralympic gold medalist said his family relied on public assistance programs like Medicaid, as well as Iowa’s Area Education Agencies and free summer lunch program as he was growing up, having gone through 21 surgeries by the age of 12 for spina bifida, according to his official campaign biography.
The 2026 Iowa Senate race represents a critical opportunity for Democrats in a state that has shifted increasingly Republican in recent cycles. Senator Ernst’s response to healthcare concerns has become a focal point for Democratic challengers seeking to make the race competitive.
An important update 👉 Today I’m suspending my campaign and endorsing Josh Turek. 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. pic.twitter.com/MxYubDJfCN
— J.D. Scholten (@JDScholten) August 18, 2025
What To Know
Scholten, a Sioux City Democrat, entered the race in June after Ernst sparked controversy for responding to comments at a town hall about Medicaid cuts. “People are not … well, we all are going to die,” the senator said in part.
Ernst’s office later clarified to news outlets that she was attempting to make a broader philosophical point about mortality, not specifically about Medicaid policy.
Turek, a Democrat from Council Bluffs, launched his campaign on Tuesday.
The endorsement comes as both lawmakers represent western Iowa districts and share backgrounds as athletes serving in the state legislature. Scholten, a professional baseball pitcher for the minor league Sioux City Explorers, said he and Turek share many similarities as athletes representing western Iowa at the Statehouse.
The Democratic primary field remains crowded despite Scholten’s exit. Iowa Senator Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris and Nathan Sage, former Knoxville Chamber of Commerce director, are running for the seat, alongside Turek. On the Republican side, Jim Carlin, a former state lawmaker and Joshua Smith, who has run as a Libertarian candidate in previous elections, are also campaigning for the GOP nomination.
Ernst has not officially said if she plans to run for reelection in 2026, though she has told reporters an announcement would be “coming soon.” She also told a GOP audience last week that Democrats can “bring it on” in the 2026 election. The lawmaker has raised nearly $1.8 million in the first half of 2025 and scheduled an October fundraiser, possibly signaling preparations for a reelection campaign, the AP reports.
Early polling of the race shows the senator with a slight advantage in Iowa.
A June Public Policy Polling survey found that Ernst would lead a generic Democrat by about two percentage points—45 percent to 43 percent, with 12 percent still unsure. The poll did not ask voters about specific Democratic candidates.
The poll surveyed 568 Iowa voters.
What People Are Saying
Scholten in a statement on Monday in part: “There are still so many issues facing Iowans today, but we can’t sit by while healthcare is ripped from millions of Americans. And there is no better Democrat in Iowa to talk about healthcare issues than my friend: State Rep. Josh Turek.”
Scholten on his endorsement decision in part: “From the very beginning, I thought a prairie populist athlete from Western Iowa would be the best candidate to win in the General election. I still do, but instead of me, I have complete confidence that Josh Turek can take this on.”
Turek responding to Scholten’s message on X: “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.”
He concluded: “We have an incredible opportunity to beat Joni Ernst in 2026, and I’m proud to join forces with J.D.”
What Happens Next?
Turek and Scholten will hold an event in Council Bluffs Monday evening.
Ernst is expected to formally announce her potential reelection campaign within the coming weeks.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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