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Josh Turek

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Josh Turek
Official portrait, 2023
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
from the 20th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2023
Preceded byCharlie McConkey
Personal details
BornJoshua Mark Turek
(1979-04-12) April 12, 1979 (age 47)
Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
RelativesJohn Turek (brother)
EducationSouthwest Minnesota State University (BA)
DeVry University (MBA)
Sports career
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
SportWheelchair basketball
DisabilitySpina bifida
Disability class3.5
Coached byRon Lykins
Medal record
Men's wheelchair basketball
Representing the  United States
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London Team
World Championship
Silver medal – second place 2014 Incheon Team
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2011 Guadalajara Team
Gold medal – first place 2015 Toronto Team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Lima Team
Josh Turek's voice
Turek on the similarities between public service and the Paralympics
Recorded March 11, 2026

Joshua Mark Turek[1] (born April 12, 1979) is an American politician and wheelchair basketball player serving as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 20th district. Turek played for the U.S. men's national wheelchair basketball team. A moderate Democrat,[2] he is a candidate in the 2026 United States Senate election in Iowa.

Early life and education

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Turek was born with spina bifida and has been a wheelchair user since childhood.[3] He has a brother, John, and sister, Elisha.[4] He graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School, in Council Bluffs, Iowa.[5] In 2002, he graduated with an MBA from Southwest Minnesota State University, where he played basketball.[5]

Athletic career

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Turek has represented the U.S. in wheelchair basketball at the Summer Paralympics four times. His team won the bronze medal in 2012 and gold medals in 2016 and 2020.[6]

His brother John and sister Elisha were professional basketball players.[4]

Political career

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Turek announced he was running for Iowa's 20th House of Representatives district in March 2022.[7] After a recount requested by his Republican opponent, Sarah Abdouch, it was confirmed Turek won the election by six votes.[8][9] He took office on January 9, 2023. Turek has worked extensively as an advocate for disabled people. He is the Iowa legislature's first permanently disabled member.[10]

In August 2025, Turek announced his candidacy in the 2026 United States Senate election in Iowa.[11]

Political views

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Turek has called himself a "common-sense" moderate Democrat and "prairie populist".[12][13]

Education

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Turek supports public education and opposes school vouchers.[5]

Health care

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Turek supports a public health insurance option and restoring Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.[14] He supports restoring the abortion protections that Roe v. Wade previously provided by passing a federal law; he has said that Iowa's six-week abortion ban reduced OB-GYN services available in the state.[14]

He opposes cuts to Medicaid and has said he would reverse the Medicaid spending cuts passed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).[14][15]

Israel–Palestine conflict

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On August 18, 2025, Turek was asked about his views on the Gaza war, starvation in Gaza, and the humanitarian crisis. He said that Israel remains a U.S. ally but that there should be limits to U.S. aid to Israel, adding, "The response at this point has been disproportionate, and I don't think that taxpayer dollars or United States support should be going toward the hurting or killing of children or civilians or certainly not impeding aid going into these areas."[12]

References

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  1. ^ https://www.turek4iowa.com/meet-josh
  2. ^ "Turek, in announcing U.S. Senate run, says Iowans want a moderate Democrat". The Gazette. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  3. ^ Simmons, Taj (October 2, 2022). "Champion Paralympian from Iowa shares spina bifida story". WHO-DT. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Josh Turek". TeamUSA.org. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "About Josh Turek". Josh Turek for Iowa. Archived from the original on March 26, 2026. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  6. ^ "Wheelchair Basketball - Joshua Turek". Olympics.com. Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  7. ^ Brownlee, Mike (March 10, 2022). "Turek announces run for Iowa House District 20". The Daily Nonpareil. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  8. ^ Golbitz, David (November 24, 2022). "District 20 recount confirms Turek victory by miniscule margin". The Daily Nonpareil. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  9. ^ "2022 Iowa State House - District 20 Election Results". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  10. ^ "Meet Iowa Legislature's new, diverse lawmakers". The Des Moines Register. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  11. ^ Opsahl, Robin (August 12, 2025). "Iowa Rep. Josh Turek, two-time Paralympian, launches campaign for U.S. Senate". KCCI. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Democrats Turek, Scholten team up to build campaign momentum". The Gazette. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  13. ^ "Turek, in announcing U.S. Senate run, says Iowans want a moderate Democrat". The Gazette. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  14. ^ a b c Gruber-Miller, Stephen (March 10, 2026). "Josh Turek hears rural health care concerns, pitches public option". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  15. ^ Robin, Opsahl (August 12, 2025). "Iowa Rep. Josh Turek, two-time Paralympian, launches campaign for U.S. Senate". Iowa Capital Dispatch. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
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