Republican Ashley Hinson has split with President Donald Trump over his diesel deal with Russia, saying she planned to tell him it was a "bad idea" a day before he was set to travel to Iowa to rally for her on Thursday.
Iowa is among this year's most crucial Senate races, as Democrat Josh Turek and Hinson, a House representative, vie for the open seat left by retiring Republican Senator Joni Ernst. Polls continue to show a tight race between the two after their first debate on October 7, where tariffs, immigration and voting records played a major role. A second debate was held last week, and the candidates sparred again over the Iran war, tariffs and immigration.
Turek's campaign and Iowa's Democrats have targeted Hinson over her congressional voting history, in which she voted seven times to continue U.S. involvement in the Iran war, the most recent being in September when seven Republicans voted with Democrats to block Trump from further military action in Iran. Hinson was not among them.
Turek's campaign told Newsweek on Thursday that her comments were an attempt to "rewrite her record".
"It’s easy to send a tweet or release a statement, but when the choice came – seven times – Hinson voted to continue the war because she is a multimillionaire who doesn’t care that Iowans are paying more," a Turek campaign spokesperson said.
"Josh Turek has been clear for months that this reckless war that is driving up costs for Iowans needs to end immediately.”
Hinson told NBC News this week that she hopes the conflict ends soon. Newsweek reached out to Hinson's campaign by email for comment on Thursday.
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When is Donald Trump's Iowa Rally?
Trump is rallying in Sioux City, Iowa, on Thursday as part of a push to boost Republican turnout and support in the final weeks before the midterm elections. The president is scheduled to deliver remarks at 6 p.m.
What Ashley Hinson Said About Trump
Hinson made the comments about Trump's diesel deal during an interview with NBC that was posted on Wednesday night.
"I think that's a bad idea. I don’t think we should be making deals with Russia," Hinson said when asked what she would tell the president regarding Russia and Iran. "I do want to see the war come to an end as soon as possible. I want it to be successful."
Earlier this month, Trump announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to supply millions of tons of diesel fuel to global markets, saying the arrangement would help lower fuel prices that have remained near record highs ahead of November's midterm elections. The announcement sparked immediate pushback, including from Republican lawmakers, who argued that the U.S. should not allow Russia to export its oil amid its war with Ukraine.
National gas price averages have dropped slightly from their point a month ago but remain high at $4.27 per gallon. The average price for a gallon of diesel is $6.30. Iowa's prices are below the national average. A gallon of gas typically costs $4.11 in the Hawkeye State, while a gallon of diesel costs $6.17, according to AAA data.
Why the Iowa Senate Race Matters in the 2026 Midterms
Democrats are hoping to flip control of both the House and the Senate in this year's midterm elections. Republicans are trying to fight off a blue wave as Trump's approval ratings continue to slide and voters express concerns tie to the economy, inflation, rising fuel costs and the Iran war.
Iowa had been thought to be a safe spot for Republicans, having last elected a Democrat to the Senate in 2008 and to the governor's mansion in 2006. The state also backed Trump in all three of his White House runs, including by 13 points in 2024. But as Democrats have gained momentum, the state has become a prime target as one of the four GOP seats they need to flip—while defending their own—to take control of the upper chamber.
Ashley Hinson Vs. Josh Turek: Latest Polls
Recent polls show a tight race in the state.
- YouGov: A YouGov poll conducted between October 6 and October 12 of 2,245 likely voters gave Turek a narrow lead over Hinson at 47 percent to 46 percent, with 4 percent of voters still undecided.
- Marist University: A Marist poll conducted between October 8 and October 11 surveyed 1,100 likely voters, giving Turek a three-point lead over Hinson, at 48 percent to 45 percent, with 5 percent still undecided.
- Emerson College: An Emerson poll surveyed 650 likely voters between October 5 and October 6. Hinson led by two points, at 47 percent to Turek's 45 percent, with 2 percent of those surveyed still undecided.
- CNN/SSRS: A CNN/SSRS poll was conducted between September 29 and October 5 and surveyed 801 likely voters. Hinson led by two points at 45 percent to Turek's 43 percent, with 8 percent saying "neither" and 3 percent saying "someone else."
- Suffolk University: A Suffolk poll surveyed 500 likely voters between October 1 and October 4. Turek held a four-point lead, with 48 percent to Hinson's 44 percent and 2 percent of those surveyed said they planned to vote for Libertarian candidate Thomas Laehn. Six percent said they didn't know who they would vote for.
Biggest Issues Facing Iowa Voters
According to the Emerson poll, Iowa voters are most concerned about the economy amid inflation and surging gas prices. The economy led top issues for voters, at 42 percent. It was followed by health care at 18 percent, threats to democracy at 10 percent and education at 8 percent.
The state also features a tight governor's race between Democratic hopeful Rob Sand and Republican Zach Lahn.
“Voters who say the economy is the top issue facing the state break for Hinson by four points, 47 percent-43 percent, but for Rob Sand by three points, 49 percent-46 percent,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said. “Voters who find health care or threats to democracy to be the top issue facing the state break for the Democratic candidates by double digits.”
Newsweek's reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Oliver Pritchard.