Hinson wins Iowa GOP Senate primary, will face Turek

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson has secured the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Iowa, defeating former state lawmaker Jim Carlin in Tuesday's primary election. The Associated Press projected Hinson, who currently represents Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, as the winner shortly after polls closed.

Hinson, who launched her campaign after Senator Joni Ernst announced she would not seek a third term, had garnered significant endorsements from national Republican figures, including President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune. She also maintained a financial lead over her primary challenger.

Carlin had challenged Hinson, arguing she was not conservative enough and pointing to her votes on LGBTQ+ issues as reasons for opposition. Despite the challenge, Hinson secured a decisive victory.

On the Democratic side, state Rep. Josh Turek is projected to win the nomination, setting up a general election contest against Hinson. Turek, a former wheelchair basketball Paralympian, emphasized his ability to work across the aisle and his electability in the Republican-leaning state. He has already begun criticizing Hinson, stating she "does not represent Iowa and does not represent our values."

Hinson responded to Turek's remarks by calling him a "masquerading as a good old Iowa moderate" and suggesting he should "pack up and move to New York City." She expressed confidence in defeating him in November, noting that Iowa has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 2008 and that Trump won the state by a significant margin in the last presidential election.