2026 United States Senate election in Iowa
The 2026 United States Senate election in Iowa will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Iowa. Primary elections will be held on June 2, 2026. Two-term Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who was re-elected in 2020 with 51.8% of the vote, declined to seek a third term in office.
Article
2026 United States Senate election in Iowa
The 2026 United States Senate election in Iowa will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Iowa. Primary elections will be held on June 2, 2026. Two-term Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who was re-elected in 2020 with 51.8% of the vote, declined to seek a third term in office.
Background
2026 United States Senate election in Iowa
Since voting for President Barack Obama in both (/wiki/2008UnitedStatespresidentialelectioninIowa) and (/wiki/2012UnitedStatespresidentialelectioninIowa), Iowa has trended increasingly Republican and is now considered a moderately to strongly red state at the federal and state level. Republican nominee Donald Trump won Iowa in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatespresidentialelectioninIowa) by 8 percentage points, and in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatespresidentialelectioninIowa) grew his margin to 13 percentage points. Republicans control every statewide executive office (except the state auditor's office), majorities in both chambers of the state legislature, and the entire congressional delegation.
Senator Joni Ernst was first elected in the red wave of (/wiki/2014UnitedStatesSenateelectioninIowa), defeating U.S. Representative Bruce Braley by about 8 percentage points. She was re-elected in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesSenateelectioninIowa) defeating Theresa Greenfield by 6.5 percentage points in what was expected to be a dead heat.
In May 2025, Ernst sparked controversy after replying to a constituent upset by thousands of preventable deaths resulting from Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by responding, "Well, we all are going to die" during a town hall in north-central Iowa. She later doubled down on her controversial comment, which many observers criticized as dismissive, in a social media video filmed in a cemetery. Ernst announced in September 2025 that she would not seek reelection.
Republican primary
Declared
• Jim Carlin, former state senator from the 3rd district (2017–2023) and candidate for U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2022UnitedStatesSenateelectioninIowa) • Ashley Hinson, U.S. representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district (2021–present)
Withdrawn
• Joshua Smith, former vice chair of the Libertarian National Committee (2022–2023) and Libertarian candidate for president in (/wiki/2024LibertarianPartypresidentialprimaries)
Declined
• Brenna Bird, Iowa attorney general (2023–present) (running for re-election) • Joni Ernst, incumbent U.S. senator (2015–present) (endorsed Hinson) • Kari Lake, senior advisor to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (2025–present), nominee for Governor of Arizona in (/wiki/2022Arizonagubernatorialelection), and nominee for U.S. Senate in Arizona in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatesSenateelectioninArizona) • Zach Nunn, U.S. representative from Iowa's 3rd congressional district (2023–present) (running for re-election, endorsed Hinson)
Fundraising
<table><thead><tr><th>Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Candidate</td><td>Raised</td><td>Spent</td><td>Cash on hand</td></tr><tr><td>Jim Carlin (R)</td><td>$170,893</td><td>$169,165</td><td>$1,728</td></tr><tr><td>Ashley Hinson (R)</td><td>$4,892,227</td><td>$1,650,040</td><td>$5,170,263</td></tr><tr><td>Source: Federal Election Commission</td></tr></tbody></table>
Democratic primary
Declared
• Josh Turek, state representative from the 20th district (2023–present) • Zach Wahls, state senator from the 43rd district (2019–present) and former Senate Minority Leader (2020–2023)
Did not file
• Bob Krause, former state representative from the 7th district (1973–1978) and perennial candidate • Richard Sherzan, former state representative from the 63rd district (1979–1981) and candidate for U.S. Senate in Arizona in (/wiki/2016UnitedStatesSenateelectioninArizona) and (/wiki/2018UnitedStatesSenateelectioninArizona)
Withdrawn
• Jackie Norris, chair of the Des Moines school board and former Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the United States (2009–2011) • Nathan Sage, market director for KNIA (endorsed Turek) • J. D. Scholten, state representative from the 1st district (2023–present) and nominee for Iowa's 4th congressional district in (/wiki/2018UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentativeselectionsinIowa#District4) and (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentativeselectionsinIowa#District4) (endorsed Turek)
Declined
• Rob Sand, Iowa Auditor of State (2019–present) (running for governor)
Fundraising
<table><thead><tr><th>Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Candidate</td><td>Raised</td><td>Spent</td><td>Cash on hand</td></tr><tr><td>Nathan Sage (D)</td><td>$1,349,828</td><td>$1,263,488</td><td>$86,339</td></tr><tr><td>Josh Turek (D)</td><td>$1,686,398</td><td>$1,287,925</td><td>$398,474</td></tr><tr><td>Zach Wahls (D)</td><td>$2,045,589</td><td>$1,312,108</td><td>$733,481</td></tr><tr><td>Source: Federal Election Commission</td></tr></tbody></table>
Polling
<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Josh Turek</th><th>Zach Wahls</th><th>Other</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>GQR (D)</td><td>February 18–22, 2026</td><td>605 (LV)</td><td>–</td><td>24%</td><td>42%</td><td>–</td><td>34%</td></tr><tr><td>NRSC (R)</td><td>February 16–18, 2026</td><td>1,923 (LV)</td><td>± 2.5%</td><td>23%</td><td>30%</td><td>5%</td><td>42%</td></tr></tbody></table>
Libertarian primary
Declared
• Thomas Laehn, Greene County Attorney
Fundraising
<table><thead><tr><th>Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Candidate</td><td>Raised</td><td>Spent</td><td>Cash on hand</td></tr><tr><td>Thomas Laehn (L)</td><td>$38,875</td><td>$33,370</td><td>$5,505</td></tr><tr><td>Source: Federal Election Commission</td></tr></tbody></table>
General election
Predictions
<table><thead><tr><th>Source</th><th>Ranking</th><th>As of</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Inside Elections</td><td>Likely R</td><td>January 12, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>The Cook Political Report</td><td>Likely R</td><td>January 12, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Sabato's Crystal Ball</td><td>Likely R</td><td>January 29, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Race To The WH</td><td>Lean R</td><td>March 13, 2026</td></tr></tbody></table>
Polling
<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Ashley Hinson (R)</th><th>Josh Turek (D)</th><th>Other</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Change Research (D)</td><td>January 8–11, 2026</td><td>1,108 (LV)</td><td>–</td><td>44%</td><td>41%</td><td>1%</td><td>14%</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Ashley Hinson (R)</th><th>Zach Wahls (D)</th><th>Other</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Change Research (D)</td><td>January 8–11, 2026</td><td>1,108 (LV)</td><td>–</td><td>44%</td><td>41%</td><td>2%</td><td>13%</td></tr></tbody></table>