Obama endorses Iowa Democrat Turek for the US Senate in a video of them playing basketball
Obama’s endorsement adds star power to Turek’s campaign as Democrats target a Senate seat that could help decide control of the chamber.
- On Wednesday, former President Barack Obama endorsed Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek for the U.S. Senate in a video of the two playing basketball, supporting his bid to flip the seat held by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst.
- Democrats are targeting Ernst's seat to win the Senate majority; Turek faces Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who received an endorsement from President Donald Trump in the race.
- Referencing his 2008 caucus victory and general election wins in 2008 and 2012, Obama said of Iowa: "Of all the things I've done in politics, Iowa was my favorite thing."
- In the endorsement video, Turek and Obama played a game of "I-O-W-A" instead of horse; Turek previously played wheelchair basketball for the United States in four Paralympic Games.
- With midterm elections approaching, Obama is actively supporting candidates this cycle, though Democrats face headwinds—no Democrat has represented Iowa in the U.S. Senate for over a decade.
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Democrat Josh Turek gets fresh odds of winning Iowa’s crucial Senate race after securing Barack Obama’s endorsement
Iowa Democratic Senate nominee Josh Turek received a major boost to his campaign on July 29, 2026, when former President Barack Obama endorsed his bid to flip the Republican-held seat being vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst. The endorsement came in a campaign video showing Obama playing basketball with Turek, adding momentum to one of the...
Barack Obama gets fresh odds of beating Donald Trump as candidates they endorsed go head-to-head in three key races in Iowa and Texas
Former President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump have thrown their political weight behind rival candidates in three closely watched 2026 midterm races, with new polling released in late July suggesting Obama’s candidates currently hold the edge in two of them. The competing endorsements have turned Iowa‘s open Senate seat and Texas’ Senate and governor’s races into high-profile tests of the two presidents’ continuing influence, despite …
Obama endorses Democratic Iowa state rep running for US Senate against Trump
Former President Barack Obama has endorsed Democratic Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek for U.S. Senate. "Now the ball's in your court, Iowa. Let's make sure that we send Josh Turek to the United States Senate," Obama said near the end of a video that featured the two men shooting hoops on a basketball court in a modified version of the classic game horse. "Let's go. We playin' horse or what? Obama asks. "We're playin' Iowa," Turek replies. OBAMA WARNS…
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