Who is Josh Turek? The Paralympic gold medallist who won his first political race by just 6 votes and is contesting in the Iowa Senate race in the US midterm elections

Josh Turek went from winning Paralympic gold medals to serving in the Iowa Legislature. His journey was shaped by years of wheelchair basketball, a career helping people with disabilities and a first election that came down to just six votes. Now, the 47-year-old Democrat is running for the US Senate, hoping to turn his political experience into a bigger role in Washington. The inputs are taken from Scott County Democrats, WHO13 and Josh Turek for Iowa.

Turek won the Democratic nomination on June 2 and will face Republican Ashley Hinson and Libertarian Thomas Laehn in the November 3 election. The winner will replace retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.

How did Josh Turek overcome childhood health challenges?

Turek grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa in a working‑class family. Turek’s father served in the Navy during the Vietnam War while Turek’s mother worked as a worker and taught at a community college. I have seen how Turek’s early family life set a foundation.

Turek was born with spina bifida and by the age of twelve Turek had already undergone twenty‑one surgeries. Turek began playing wheelchair basketball in grade after attending a sports camp, in Omaha and that sport quickly became a major part of Turek’s life.

Basketball was also a family affair. His brother, John, played for Nebraska and later competed professionally in Europe. His sister, Elisha, played professionally in Spain.

Turek graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1997 before attending Southwest Minnesota State University. Turek finished his college career with a program record of 4024 points and 1213 rebounds earning four honors. He graduated in 2002. Later earned an MBA.

From wheelchair basketball to Paralympic gold

Turek went on to play professionally in Italy, France and Spain. He also represented the U.S. at 4 Paralympic Games. He got a bronze medal in London Paralympics in 2012. He got a gold medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Then another one in Tokyo, in 2021.

He was a two-time Paralympic gold medalist. He was later put into the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame. He was also put into the halls of fame at his high school and university. Turek also volunteered with the Ryan Martin Foundation which gives children with disabilities opportunities to play sports for free while still playing professionally.

He later worked with patients and doctors at a wheelchair and mobility assistance company. He helped people obtain wheelchairs and complex rehabilitation equipment. The work exposed him to problems with insurance coverage, costs and access to health care.

How did Josh Turek win his first political race by six votes

After his basketball career ended with a gold medal in Tokyo, Turek returned to Iowa and ran for the state legislature in his hometown. His first election in 2022 was extremely close. After a recount, he won by just six votes in a district that Donald Trump had carried twice. Turek took office in January 2023 as the Iowa Legislature's first permanently disabled member.

He won re-election in 2024, even as Trump carried the district by eight points. Turek's campaign profile describes him as a bipartisan lawmaker who has worked to connect with voters across political lines.

What does Turek want to focus on in the Senate race

Turek's campaign focuses on the cost of living, workers and the middle class. He has also supported public education, opposed school vouchers and called for major changes to Iowa's health care system. Environmental protection, including clean air, food and water, is another part of his agenda.

He lives in Council Bluffs with his wife, Jarolin, whom he met while playing basketball in Spain. Originally from Madrid, she is now a US citizen and works in health care. Turek's path to the Senate race has taken him from the basketball court to the statehouse. Now, after winning his first election by only six votes, he is seeking a seat in the US Senate.