Iowa Democratic Senate candidate Turek says Trump did a better job on the border than Biden
Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Iowa, told ABC's This Week that Donald Trump has done a better job on the border than Joe Biden. Turek faces Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson in a closely watched midterm race.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Iowa and a state representative, said on ABC News' This Week that President Donald Trump has done a "better job" on the border than former President Joe Biden. NewsweekN ““I agree with Trump. He's done a better job on the border than Biden, for sure,”” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Asked by host Jonathan Karl what Trump has done right, Turek also said they agree that private equity should be driven out of housing, healthcare and nursing homes, and that there should be no tax on tips, overtime and Social Security. NewsweekN “I agree with him that we need to drive private equity out of housing. I would also like to see us drive private equity out of housing, healthcare, and nursing homes.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Turek described themself as a "proud moderate" and a "commonsense prairie populist", and declined to say whether the Democratic Party has moved too far left, saying: "I don't think a lot about the party as a whole." NewsweekN “Turek described himself on Sunday as a “proud moderate” and a “commonsense prairie populist.”” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Turek said they do not "vilify people for voting for Trump" and that Trump "accurately identified the problem" on grocery prices, corruption, electricity costs and "forever wars", but criticised the results, citing "more and more consolidation of wealth and power to a handful of individuals". NewsweekN “Turek said on Sunday that he does not “vilify people for voting for Trump,”” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 2Turek has also attacked the Iran war and Trump's trade tariffs, arguing that rising costs burden Iowans, and the campaign's own advertising promises to work with Trump to "secure the border, stop the flow of drugs into Iowa". NewsweekN “In the U.S. Senate, I'll work with anyone to fix it, including President Trump, to secure the border, stop the flow of drugs into Iowa.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Hindustan TimesN “Turek has called for an end to the US war with Iran and a return to diplomacy.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Centre · 1Turek's stated border position is bipartisan reform that strengthens security and simplifies the path to citizenship, along with deporting people who enter illegally and commit crimes, stopping fentanyl at the border and greater accountability for ICE agents. Hindustan TimesN “Turek has called for bipartisan reforms that strengthen border security while making the path to citizenship simpler.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Centre · 1Turek, a two-time Paralympic wheelchair basketball gold medallist from Council Bluffs, entered politics in 2022 and won the Democratic nomination in June 2026, defeating state Senator Zach Wahls; the winner of the race will succeed Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, who is not seeking re-election. Hindustan TimesN “In June 2026, he won the Democratic nomination for the US Senate, defeating state Senator Zach Wahls in the primary.”“The elected candidate will succeed Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who is not seeking re-election.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Centre · 2The opponent is Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, endorsed by Trump, along with Libertarian Thomas Laehn; Trump won Iowa by 13 points in 2024, and the Associated Press lists the seat among Democrats' best Republican-held pickup opportunities. NewsweekN “Trump won Iowa by 13 points in 2024 when he ran against former Vice President Kamala Harris.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Hindustan TimesN “as well as Libertarian Thomas Laehn” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Centre · 1Hinson has said illegal immigration is the top issue she hears about, encouraged self-deportation through a Department of Homeland Security app, and called for a legal agricultural workforce visa, which she said is "not an amnesty issue". NewsweekN “This is a workforce visa, not an amnesty issue,”” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Hinson has attacked Turek over missing 261 of 445 floor votes (nearly 58%) in the 2026 Iowa legislative session; Turek said they were travelling to all 99 counties and that earlier attendance was considerably higher. Hindustan TimesN “missing 261 of 445 floor votes during the 2026 legislative session, which accounts for nearly 58%” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Centre · 1Newsweek placed the remark in the context of migration surges under Biden: an Associated Press analysis found border crossings fell sharply after Biden's June 2024 asylum restrictions and dropped further after Trump returned and suspended asylum. Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has likewise called himself a "border security Democrat". NewsweekN “Border crossings fell sharply after Biden introduced severe asylum restrictions in June 2024 and plummeted more after Trump returned to the White House and suspended asylum at the border.”“declaring himself a “border security Democrat”” Read at Newsweek ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Newsweek leads with Turek's border remark as a Democrat praising Trump in a competitive Republican-held race, adding context on border data and a similar Texas candidate. Hindustan Times runs a candidate profile covering biography, policy positions and controversies.
- Emphasis
- Newsweek stresses Turek's moderate positioning, areas of agreement with Trump, and the Senate-control stakes; Hindustan Times stresses background, policy platform, the attendance dispute and the primary.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Newsweek does not note Turek's missing-votes controversy or primary history; Hindustan Times, published before the interview, does not mention the border remark and gives little on Hinson's positions. Neither includes a response from either campaign.
- Charged language
- “proud moderate”“commonsense prairie populist”“border security Democrat”
- For example
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“Turek described himself on Sunday as a “proud moderate” and a “commonsense prairie populist.”” — Newsweek
“Turek’s attendance record became a major point of controversy during his 2026 Senate campaign.” — Hindustan Times
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Josh Turek is the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Iowa in 2026.
- Ashley Hinson is the Republican nominee and the opponent.
- Turek has criticised Trump administration tariffs and the Iran war.
Josh Turek person
Presents as a moderate who will work with anyone, including Trump, on the border and some economic issues while criticising Trump's results, tariffs and the Iran war.
“I don't think a lot about the party as a whole,” he said. “I think about myself, and I think about Iowa.”” — Newsweek
Ashley Hinson person
Trump-endorsed Republican who prioritises border security and deportations while backing legal agricultural work visas; attacks Turek's voting attendance and has supported Trump policies Turek criticises.
“The number one issue I heard about is the border and safety” — Newsweek
“Hinson criticized him for missing votes on issues affecting farmers and rural communities” — Hindustan Times
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Josh Turek, the Paralympic gold medalist seeking a US Senate seat from Iowa
Neutral Explanatory profile of Turek covering background, platform and controversies, without the border interview.
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Democratic Senate Candidate: Trump Did ‘Better Job’ on Border Than Biden
Neutral Straight news report on Turek's cross-party praise of Trump's border record, with context from AP data, Hinson's views and a comparison to Talarico.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 25 Oct 07:04 First Hindustan TimesN Josh Turek, the Paralympic gold medalist seeking a US Senate seat from Iowa
- 25 Oct 21:52 +14h 48m NewsweekN Democratic Senate Candidate: Trump Did ‘Better Job’ on Border Than Biden
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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