Obama Endorses Iowa Democrat Josh Turek in Senate Race After Basketball Video
Key Takeaways
- •Obama endorsed Josh Turek in a basketball-themed video urging Iowa voters to send him to the U.S. Senate.
- •Turek is challenging Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson for the seat being vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst.
- •The Iowa race is considered difficult for Democrats because the state has trended red in recent federal elections and Trump won it by double digits last year.
- •Turek is a state representative who competed in wheelchair basketball for the United States in four Paralympic Games.
- •Obama said he has a long history with Iowa, including his 2008 caucus win and general election victories there in 2008 and 2012.
Iowa Democrat Josh Turek got an assist Wednesday from former President Barack Obama, who endorsed his bid to flip a Republican-held U.S. Senate seat in a video of the two shooting hoops.
The seat held by retiring two-term Sen. Joni Ernst is among the difficult targeted races for Democrats as they navigate a narrow path to winning the Senate majority, and it is part of a small number of GOP-held seats Democrats are trying to make competitive in a state that has trended red in recent federal elections. Turek faces Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Trump won Iowa by double digits in the last presidential election, and it has been more than a decade since a Democrat represented Iowa in the Senate. Even so, Democrats believe they have a fighting chance this cycle, making outside attention from national figures a useful sign of how much the race matters to both parties.
Turek, a state representative, played wheelchair basketball for the United States in four Paralympic Games. In the video, Turek and Obama play a game of I-O-W-A instead of horse.
“I know a little something about winning Iowa,” Obama says, referring to his 2008 caucus victory that launched the little-known U.S. senator from Illinois to the Democratic presidential nomination. Obama also carried Iowa in both the 2008 and 2012 general elections.
“Of all the things I’ve done in politics, Iowa was my favorite thing,” Obama says. “There was just a magic about regular folks showing up.”
With months to go before the midterm elections, Obama is already backing candidates this cycle. In May, he joined U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico at a taco shop in Texas.
Known for his love of basketball, Obama had the White House tennis court modified so he could play basketball and had a professional-grade basketball court installed at his Presidential Center. He met WNBA players, including Iowa native Caitlin Clark, at that court last week.
Against Turek, Obama said he got “whooped.”
“Now the ball’s in your court, Iowa,” Obama says. “Let’s make sure that we send Josh Turek to the United States Senate.”
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com