Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Josh Turek and Zach Wahls appeared in their second debate Thursday evening ahead of the June 2 primary.
The two state lawmakers are seeking the Democratic nomination for Sen. Joni Ernst’s open U.S. Senate seat. Ernst announced last September she would not be seeking a third term.
Turek and Wahls answered questions on issues related to affordability, Social Security and healthcare on the debate, which aired on KCCI.
The two lawmakers found common ground on many issues, like creating a wealth tax for billionaires and rolling back spending cuts to Medicaid under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but sparred over reproductive rights.
Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs, said he believes Iowa’s law banning abortion at around six weeks of pregnancy is driving OB/GYNs out of the state.
“The very first thing that we've got to do, and what I give you my pledge on, is that in the United States Senate, I will work to codify Roe v. Wade for every single woman, not only Iowa women, but American women, have access to reproductive freedom that she deserves,” Turek said.
Wahls, a state senator from Coralville, said he would also like to codify Roe v. Wade to guarantee abortion access across the country, but he attacked Turek, accusing him of supporting a state bill that funds controversial crisis pregnancy centers.
“There are some places where we are not going to be able to work across the aisle because we have a serious disagreement about the future of reproductive rights in this country," Wahls said. "I will be a champion for Iowa women's reproductive freedom in the U.S. Senate, the same way that I have been in the [state] Legislature."
Turek called Wahls’ attack “fundamentally incorrect.”
“I voted against the governor's health care bill, which contained those provisions. The bill he's referring to was in HHS [Health and Human Services], which contained actually some incentives for fellowships for individuals,” Turek said.
The debate was hosted by Amanda Rooker, KCCI’s chief political reporter, and Dave Price, Gray Media's Iowa political director.
Turek and Wahls participated in another debate that aired on Iowa PBS last week.
