Turek attacks Hinson over Medicaid cuts in pivotal Iowa Senate debate

In the opening debate of the Iowa Senate race, Democratic nominee Josh Turek singled out Rep. Ashley Hinson for backing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that slashes Medicaid spending by $1 trillion, a move he says will strip health coverage from 110,000 Iowans. Turek, a wheelchair user who previously helped Medicaid patients obtain medical equipment, warned that the cuts will exacerbate the state’s worsening cancer crisis, which the University of Iowa projects will see 21,700 new diagnoses and 6,400 deaths by the end of 2026.

Hinson countered that the Rural Health Transformation Program will provide $50 billion over five years to mitigate the cuts, and that work-requirement policies will target able-bodied adults and illegal immigrants. She also cited her efforts to boost NIH cancer research funding and a bill directing federal tobacco taxes to pediatric and rare-cancer research. Polls show the race is tight, with Hinson holding a narrow lead overall but trailing among independents.