Iowa state Rep. J.D. Scholten is dropping out of a crowded Democratic primary to oust Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and endorsing fellow state Rep. Josh Turek instead. Scholten announced he would suspend his campaign at a rally with Turek in Council Bluffs,

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate J.D. Scholten is dropping out of Iowa's 2026 Senate race and endorsing state Rep. Josh Turek.

J.D. Scholten is dropping out of the crowded Democratic primary in Iowa’s U.S. Senate election and endorsing fellow Democratic state legislator Josh Turek.

In bright-red Iowa, the Democratic field vying to unseat Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) grew to five on Tuesday as state Rep. Josh Turek jumped into the race. A former Paralympian with two gold medals in wheelchair basketball,

J.D. Scholten is dropping out of the crowded Democratic primary in Iowa’s U.S. Senate election, and endorsing fellow Democratic state legislator Josh Turek, who just announced his candidacy this past week.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst highlighted her relationship with President Donald Trump and called on Iowa Republicans to unite behind the party’s candidates in 2026, but she did not say if she's running for reelection.

United States Senator Joni Ernst (R) has been holding off this summer on officially announcing if she will be seeking a third term in the United States Senate. Sen. Ernst was at the Iowa Pork Producers Tent on Tuesday morning on the state fairgrounds.

Iowa Senate candidate Josh Turek will be in Council Bluffs on Monday night. Turek has several competitors in the primary already, including Jackie Norris, Nathan Sage, and fellow state legislators J.D. Scholten and Zach Wahls.