Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) attacked Democratic rival Josh Turek on Wednesday over his attendance record in the Iowa Legislature, accusing the state representative of neglecting his responsibilities in Des Moines.
During a US Senate debate, Hinson, 43, said Turek had failed to show up for work 58% of the time this year, including for votes on measures she said would benefit Iowa residents and farmers. She specifically cited the Iowa Farm Bill, which she said Turek skipped.
“He was one of the most absent, and he was one of the most liberal when he did show up to vote,” the Republican congresswoman said.
Hinson, who is serving her third term in the House, compared Turek’s attendance record with expectations in the private sector. Anyone with that level of absenteeism at a private company, she argued, “you’re not getting a promotion, you’re getting fired.”
Turek, 47, responded by turning the criticism back on Hinson, pointing to her own missed votes in Congress.
“She’s missed 193 votes herself,” Turek said. He also accused Hinson of supporting healthcare cuts while representing a state facing both a healthcare crisis and a cancer crisis.
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The Democrat then challenged Hinson over her use of a relatively obscure federal benefit: a $178-a-day per diem available to House members for certain expenses. Turek claimed she had collected $50,000 in taxpayer funds in addition to her congressional salary despite being a “multimillionaire.”
Hinson came prepared with a counterargument, saying Turek had benefited from a comparable taxpayer-funded per diem program available to Iowa lawmakers.
“I’m glad, Josh, that you brought up the per diem,” Hinson said. She accused Turek of accepting the full allowance despite his absences from the legislature, describing it as the same type of program available to lawmakers in Iowa.
“So you took the per diem. You stole from taxpayers. You should refund that money,” she added.
Hinson said Turek received $20,000 through the Iowa program.
The Iowa Senate contest is expected to rank among the country’s most closely watched races on Election Day. Its result could help determine which party controls the chamber when the new session begins in January 2027.
Turek holds a narrow advantage over Hinson, leading by 1 percentage point in the latest RealClearPolitics polling average.
