Candidates for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat are focusing on the state's high cancer rates as polling indicates a tightening race. The contest features Democratic state legislator Josh Turek and Republican U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson, who are vying for the seat currently held by retiring Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA).
The focus on health outcomes follows reports that Iowa has the second-highest cancer incidence rate in the United States, trailing only Kentucky. While cancer rates are stable or falling in most other states, Iowa’s rate is currently rising. Research from the Iowa Environmental Council suggests that environmental contaminants, including nitrates and pesticides from the state's agricultural industry, as well as radon and PFAS, are contributing factors.
Josh Turek has proposed a "public option" to provide a baseline level of healthcare coverage and has advocated for more oversight of insurance companies to increase patient access to care. Rep. Ashley Hinson recently introduced legislation to redirect revenue from tobacco taxes into cancer research and has co-led bills to expand mobile cancer screening tools and mammogram machines in rural areas. Hinson's office also highlighted her support for the Rural Health Transformation Fund, which was part of a Republican reconciliation package passed last year.
For voters, the outcome of this race could determine the availability of specific healthcare benefits, such as a federal public insurance option or increased funding for rural screening equipment. A recent Emerson College poll showed Hinson leading Turek 48% to 45%, which is within the poll’s credibility interval, meaning the candidates are in a statistical dead heat. Residents would notice changes in their healthcare access or research funding depending on which candidate’s legislative priorities are enacted following the November election.
The race also serves as a test of how agricultural policy and environmental regulation intersect with public health. Because the state’s economy is heavily dependent on the industrial agricultural system—a primary source of the nitrates and pesticides linked to cancer risk—the winning candidate's approach to regulation will set a precedent for how the federal government balances economic interests with environmental health standards. Voters will make their final decision at the polls on Election Day, with both candidates continuing to campaign on these health platforms through the fall.