Former President Barack Obama endorsed Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek in a playful video showing them playing basketball to promote Turek's run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst. Turek, a four-time Paralympian in wheelchair basketball, faces Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is backed by Donald Trump. Obama referenced his own Iowa victories and urged voters to send Turek to the Senate.
Obama Endorses Josh Turek in Playful Basketball Video to Boost Senate Bid
FILE - Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek speaks during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, June 2, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Bryon Houlgrave, File)(AP Photo/Bryon Houlgrave)
DES MOINES, Iowa — Former President Barack Obama publicly endorsed Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek on Wednesday in a lighthearted video that shows the two men shooting hoops as part of a push to flip a Republican-held U.S. Senate seat.
The seat, being vacated by two-term Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, is among the top contests Democrats are targeting as they try to narrow the path back to a Senate majority. Turek is facing Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who has received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
FILE - Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, talks to supporters before a neighborhood canvassing event, May 31, 2026, in Waukee, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Turek, a state representative and four-time Paralympian who played wheelchair basketball for the United States, appears with Obama in the endorsement clip. Instead of the usual game of "horse," the pair play a themed street game of I‑O‑W‑A while trading friendly banter.
"I know a little something about winning Iowa," Obama says, referring to his 2008 Iowa caucus victory that helped launch his presidential nomination. "Of all the things I've done in politics, Iowa was my favorite thing. There was just a magic about regular folks showing up."
Obama — known for his fondness for basketball — joked that Turek "whooped" him during the game and urged viewers: "Now the ball's in your court, Iowa. Let's make sure that we send Josh Turek to the United States Senate."
FILE - Former President Barack Obama speaks during the dedication ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center, June 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
With months to go before the midterm elections, Obama has begun lending his star power to Democratic candidates. In May, he appeared with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico at a taco shop, and he recently hosted WNBA players, including Iowa native Caitlin Clark, at the basketball court installed at his Presidential Center.
For continued coverage of the 2026 elections, see the AP project: https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.
Help us improve.
