Obama backs Iowa Democrat Josh Turek for Senate in basketball video
Former President Barack Obama appeared in a basketball-style video endorsing Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek in his bid for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Republican Joni Ernst.
Barack Obama filmed a short basketball-themed endorsement with Iowa state Representative Josh Turek, urging Iowans to elect him to the U.S. Senate seat that retiring Republican Joni Ernst will leave open. The video, featuring a game of I-O-W-A, includes Obama recalling his 2008 caucus triumph and his success in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections in the state. Turek, a former Paralympic wheelchair basketball player, faces Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who has been endorsed by Donald Trump, a former president who won Iowa by double digits in the last presidential race.
The contest is viewed as a key target for Democrats seeking to break a decade-long Republican hold on Iowa’s Senate representation. Obama’s appearance follows other campaign activities, such as joining Senate candidate James Talarico at a Texas taco shop and meeting Iowa native WNBA star Caitlin Clark at his Presidential Center. The endorsement adds national prominence to Turek’s campaign as the midterm election approaches.
Why it matters
Obama’s high-profile endorsement could sway a pivotal Senate race and affect the balance of power in Washington.
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