During a televised debate for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat, Democratic State Representative Josh Turek was pressed by Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson about his record of missing votes in the Iowa House. Hinson noted the importance of voting on issues such as pediatric cancer research, saying, “You have to show up to vote for things like pediatric cancer research, and I’ve invested in legislation to make sure we’re redirecting those resources where they’re needed.”
Fox News Digital reported that Turek missed 261 votes between Jan. 12, 2026 and May 3, 2026, representing roughly 58 % of all votes taken during that period. When asked why he missed those votes, Turek replied, “I’ve been out campaigning, meeting Iowans in all 99 counties, holding hundreds of public forums.” He added that in his first three years in the legislature he maintained a “more than 90 % attendance record.”
Hinson countered that she has not held a single in‑person town hall while running for the U.S. Senate, a claim Turek repeated. Hinson objected, pointing to her campaign’s record of 47 in‑person town halls and more than 30 telephone town halls since her election to Congress. She also highlighted a 98.8 % lifetime voting record in the House, noting she missed only 16 % of committee amendment votes but was present for every final passage vote on the Appropriations Committee.
“I’ve done more town halls than the percentage of time he showed up to work this year,” Hinson said, noting that Turek’s attendance was “42 % of the time,” or roughly two out of every five workdays. “If you don’t show up two out of five days, you’re not getting a promotion – you’re getting fired,” she added, emphasizing her bipartisan record and ranking in the top 20 % of bipartisan lawmakers.
The Hinson campaign clarified that the 193 votes she missed span her entire congressional tenure, while Turek’s 261 missed votes occurred solely in the 2026 legislative session. Campaign communications director Billy Fuerst said, “Ashley has a 98.8 % lifetime voting record while Josh registered a 42 % voting record in the State House this year. She missed 94 of 553 committee amendment votes but was present for all final passage votes on 70 bills since 2021.”
What voters should know
Both candidates are using their attendance records as a measure of dedication to Iowa constituents. Turek emphasizes his extensive travel and public forums across the state, while Hinson points to her consistent voting record and documented town‑hall engagements. Voters will need to weigh the importance of legislative presence versus campaign outreach as the Senate race intensifies.
Rep. Turek and his campaign have not responded to further inquiries.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
