Latest news with #CouncilBluffs
Yahoo
12-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic state representative and Paralympian Josh Turek running for US Senate in 2026
COUNCIL BLUFFS — Democratic state representative and Paralympian Josh Turek is running for Iowa's U.S. Senate seat in 2026. Turek, 46, of Council Bluffs, is the fifth Democrat to jump into a crowded primary field of candidates seeking to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. "I love Iowa," Turek said in an interview with the Des Moines Register. "Everywhere that I go, certainly in a community like mine, I'm seeing an enormous amount of people struggling, and they're struggling just to keep food on the table or keep a roof above their head. And they've got a government that's not working for them, and certainly representatives like Joni Ernst are just not working for them." Turek was elected to the Iowa House in 2022 and is serving his second term representing parts of Council Bluffs and Carter Lake. The former Paralympian has won two gold medals in wheelchair basketball representing the United States in the Paralympic Games. Turek said he intends to model his campaign on the example set by former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, "my political hero," who led the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act through Congress. "He was a genuine populist that was going out there and doing the work, fighting for social and economic justice, fighting for the most vulnerable, fighting for the average person, fighting for the middle class, fighting for working class families," Turek said of Harkin. "I intend to be the exact same way." 'Kitchen table issues' will be core to Josh Turek's campaign Turek said the issues driving his campaign will be "kitchen table issues." "The economy right now is just not working for young people," he said. "It's not working for small family farms, for small business. It's not working for the middle class and working families, for that matter. And so the issues that I'm going to focus on is driving down costs, and that can be from groceries to electric bills, to certainly housing, we've got a housing crisis. Absolutely (it) is going to be on raising the minimum wage and a livable wage." Turek also criticized Ernst for her vote for President Donald Trump's tax cut bill, which cuts taxes on tips and on overtime wages while also cutting spending on Medicaid and food assistance programs. "We need affordable, accessible health care," he said. "Folks like Joni Ernst right now with what they're doing with the big, beautiful bill, we're looking at losing, not only people losing their health care benefits, but we're going to lose rural hospitals." The law extends and deepens tax cuts signed by Trump in 2017 while cutting federal Medicaid spending by an estimated $911 billion over 10 years. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the law will add $3.4 trillion to the nation's debt over the next decade and says 10 million people are expected to become uninsured by 2034 as a result. Ernst has said she wants to preserve Medicaid for "people that truly do need the assistance." "I care about those that are most vulnerable in our population," she said June 6. "And what I'd like to say, too, I have had family members on Medicaid. So when people think, oh, I get to sit in a big fancy office in Washington, D.C., I want Iowans to remember where I came from." Turek said he has a unique story, acknowledging that he is "not your standard Senate candidate." Turek, who uses a wheelchair, was born with spina bifida and had 21 surgeries before he was 12 years old. He now works for a nonprofit that provides adaptive sports equipment and free summer camps for kids with disabilities. His wife, Jarolin, works in health care. "I'm someone that really understands, at a deeply personal level, these social safety nets that have allowed me to get to where I am and the success I've had," he said. Josh Turek touts his ability to win in areas that Donald Trump won Turek eked out a victory in his first Iowa House race by a six-vote margin in "a really tough year for Democrats." It was a race where he dragged himself up stairs, pulling his wheelchair behind him, in order to knock on doors to talk to potential voters. In his reelection bid in 2024, Turek won by about 5 percentage points, despite being heavily targeted by Republicans, even as Trump carried the district. Those experiences show "the grit, the hard work, the determination" he'll bring to his current race, he said. "I went out and I crawled stairs and I knocked doors dragging my wheelchair up there to have a conversation with every single person in the community," he said. "That didn't matter, Democrats, independents, Republicans. Talked to them all, and talked about the issues they cared about. And I won my first election by just six votes." Turek pointed to bills he has worked on in the Iowa Legislature to provide money to study the accessibility of state parks, make it easier for Medicaid recipients to get their wheelchairs repaired, ban the cancer-linked chemical DEHP in urinary catheters and raise income and asset limits for people with disabilities who are on Medicaid. "I think politically, I am the archetype of what can win out here," he said. "I am a common sense, moderate Democrat that is willing to work across the aisle in a bipartisan way. And people can see that from what I've been able to do at the state level." Josh Turek plans to stand out in a crowded primary field 'by outworking them' Turek joins a crowded Democratic primary field that includes state Sen. Zach Wahls of Coralville, state Rep. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City, former Knoxville Chamber of Commerce Director Nathan Sage of Indianola and Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris of Des Moines. Ernst has not formally announced she will seek a third term in 2026, but she has hired a campaign manager and scheduled her annual Roast and Ride fundraiser for October. Two Republicans have said they intend to challenge Ernst for the GOP nomination: former state Sen. Jim Carlin and Joshua Smith. Turek said the way he'll set himself apart from his competitors "is by outworking them." "I'm going to go out there and I'm going to go into every single nook and cranny and corner in these rural communities that Democrats have ignored in a lot of their races and talk about exactly why I am the best candidate, the most electable, and I'm going to talk about the kitchen table issues," he said. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@ or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek running for US Senate against Joni Ernst
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek preparing to launch US Senate campaign, colleagues say
Democratic Iowa state representative and former Paralympian Josh Turek is preparing to launch a campaign for U.S. Senate this month, according to three of his current and former Iowa House colleagues. Turek, 46, of Council Bluffs, has won two gold medals in wheelchair basketball representing the United States at the Paralympic Games. He was first elected to the Iowa House in 2022 and is serving his second term representing parts of Council Bluffs and Carter Lake. He would join a growing field of Democratic candidates vying for their party's nomination in 2026. State Sen. Zach Wahls of Coralville, state Rep. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City and former Knoxville Chamber of Commerce Director Nathan Sage of Indianola have all announced campaigns. Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris says she is also seriously considering a bid. Turek declined to comment. But state Reps. Austin Baeth, D-Des Moines, and Timi Brown Powers, D-Waterloo, and former state Rep. Sami Scheetz told the Des Moines Register they have spoken to Turek about his plans and say he will announce his campaign in August. "He and I, I think have a shared vision of what needs to be done for the state and our country, so I'm going to be supporting his candidacy because I really do think that he is Democrats' best chance of winning the general election next November," Baeth said of Turek. Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is up for reelection next year. She has hired a campaign manager but has not formally announced that she will seek a third term in 2026, prompting speculation about her plans. Turek has experience winning difficult races for the Iowa Legislature. In 2022, he won his first term by six votes and won reelection last fall by about 5 percentage points in a race heavily targeted by Republicans. "Josh has been one of the highest-performing Democrats in the state," Baeth said. "He has won twice in a district that Trump won. And if you drive around Council Bluffs this last October and November, you'll see yards that have a Trump sign and a Turek sign next to each other because people see him as more than a politician." Baeth said he believes Turek has the ability to compete with the other Democrats in the race, even though he's announcing a campaign later than his competitors. "He's somebody who has been doing the planning behind the scenes and I think will make up ground pretty quickly," Baeth said. "And I think the reason for that is his candidacy is unique. He's not the typical cookie cutter politician." Brown-Powers said she believes Turek's work ethic is one of his biggest assets in a race where "to win this you have to give 100%." "This is a guy who gets out of his wheelchair and crawls up steps to knock on a door, so there's some grit and work ethic there," she said. "He's not going to be easily turned away by anything." Turek, who was born with spina bifida, has said his success has been possible because of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was led in Congress by former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin. His colleagues said Medicaid and health care access will be central pillars of his campaign because of his own experience. Medicaid will also be a major feature of the campaign because of Ernst's vote to pass President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" which includes tax cuts and cuts to spending on Medicaid and food assistance programs. The legislation extends and deepens tax cuts signed by Trump in 2017 while cutting Medicaid spending by nearly $1 trillion over a decade. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says 10 million people are expected to become uninsured over a decade as a result of the bill. "The big, beautiful bill or the reconciliation bill is going to be a huge focus of this upcoming campaign," Scheetz said. "And I think there's definitely not a better messenger on Medicaid and the cuts to Medicaid in our state than Rep. Turek." Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@ or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek preparing to mount US Senate campaign
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Iowa prep lauds Nebraska coach for getting him NFL-ready
Thomas Fidone II was born in Iowa and played high school football for powerhouse Lewis Central in Council Bluffs. But instead of becoming a Hawkeye or a Cyclone, he jumped across the river and went to Nebraska. And for Fidone, it was the best decision he could have made. Advertisement The 6-foot-6, 255-pound tight end was selected in the seventh round of the recent 2025 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. At Lewis Central, Fidone became a four-star recruit and was considered the No. 2 tight end overall in the Class of 2021. He was an All-American as a senior after catching 43 passes for 845 yards and 10 touchdowns. MORE: Minnesota high school football district assignments revealed He finished his career with the Titans by recording over 100 receptions and more than 1,500 yards while scoring over 20 touchdowns. Fidone had his choice of schools including Iowa, LSU, Penn State and Michigan, but went with the Huskers. He would play in 26 games over three seasons, including a shortened freshman campaign due to injury. Advertisement Over that time, Fidone caught 61 passes for 633 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 10 yards per reception. During a recent interview with an Omaha television station, Fidone noted that his coach at Nebraska, Matt Rhule, was "the biggest thing" that got him prepared for the NFL. "The offense and the mindset that he brought helped the transition," Fidone said. Fidone has already made a big impression on one standout in the NFL in all-pro tight end Travis Kelce. He competed at the recent Tight End U event and told KETV that Kelce told him he was "extremely athletic and moved extremely well." Advertisement "Being able to hear that from him was cool," Fidone added. MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NEWS:
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Malaysian shuttler Letshanaa stuns former world champ Okuhara in straight sets at US Open badminton
IOWA, June 26 – National shuttler K. Letshanaa pulled off the biggest upset of her career by defeating former world champion Nozomi Okuhara in the first round of the US Open on Wednesday. The Star reported that the world No. 42 stunned eighth seed Okuhara, ranked 27th, with a straight-sets 21-8, 21-19 victory in just 31 minutes at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She will meet India's Aakarshi Kashyap in the second round. Compatriot Wong Ling Ching also impressed by overcoming Taiwan's fourth seed Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 19-21, 22-20 in a closely contested match. Ling Ching's next opponent is Bulgaria's Kaloyana Nalbantova. In the men's singles, Justin Hoh advanced with a convincing 21-10, 21-10 win over Belgium's Julien Carragi. He will face Taiwan's Liao Jhuo-fu in the next round.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Malaysia's shuttler Letshanaa stuns former world champ Okuhara in straight sets at US Open badminton
IOWA, June 26 – National shuttler K. Letshanaa pulled off the biggest upset of her career by defeating former world champion Nozomi Okuhara in the first round of the US Open on Wednesday. The Star reported that the world No. 42 stunned eighth seed Okuhara, ranked 27th, with a straight-sets 21-8, 21-19 victory in just 31 minutes at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She will meet India's Aakarshi Kashyap in the second round. Compatriot Wong Ling Ching also impressed by overcoming Taiwan's fourth seed Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 19-21, 22-20 in a closely contested match. Ling Ching's next opponent is Bulgaria's Kaloyana Nalbantova. In the men's singles, Justin Hoh advanced with a convincing 21-10, 21-10 win over Belgium's Julien Carragi. He will face Taiwan's Liao Jhuo-fu in the next round.
