Iowa Democratic Senate nominee Josh Turek skipped a vote on legislation funding treatments for drinking water—which has been tied to the Hawkeye State's soaring cancer rates—to attend a happy hour hosted by the nonprofit arm of VoteVets, a left-wing group whose super PAC has spent millions on his campaign and is aligned with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.).
Turek, a state representative, was rubbing elbows at a May 1 "Veterans Happy Hour" hosted in Des Moines by VoteVets when the Iowa House of Representatives voted 65-21 on an appropriations bill that state officials project will provide nearly $320 million in water quality investments over 12 years. The vote was held 14 minutes after the event was scheduled to begin.
He skipped a second vote on the final passage the next day when the House concurred with a Senate amendment.
The missed votes raise questions about the promise Turek made on his campaign website to "address Iowa's unique cancer crisis and the water quality crisis that's driving it." Part of his solution involves "funding water quality sensors," yet the May legislation included roughly $3.5 million for statewide water quality monitoring.
A March report by the Iowa Environmental Council and Drake University's Harkin Institute found that several types of cancer are associated with the high levels of nitrate in drinking water in Iowa, which has the second-highest rate of new diagnoses in the country. The problem is top of mind for voters: A July poll found that 60 percent considered water quality and the environment among their five most important issues.
Turek touted the fundraiser a week before the vote.
"I come from a long line of veterans, and I rely on the VA for health care related to my disability. I'm teaming up with @VoteVets to host a Veterans Happy Hour in Des Moines next week. Join us," Turek posted to X on April 26. The Democrat uses a wheelchair due to spina bifida, which he attributes to his father's exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.
When the Washington Free Beacon reported on Turek missing a separate May 1 vote on another appropriations bill, which allocated nearly $13 million to the state Department of Veterans Affairs and included funding for veteran nursing homes and housing assistance, a spokesman blamed his absence on the bill being rescheduled several times before eventually getting rushed to the floor.
The fine print on the fundraiser's webpage notes that the event was by the VoteVets Action Fund, the group's nonprofit arm. But it also points to "our latest VoteVets ad," a pro-Turek spot bankrolled by the super PAC, not the nonprofit. The ad also directs viewers to the VoteVets website, which is shared by both groups.
VoteVets has thrown significant support behind Turek, who is not a veteran, providing an endorsement, nearly $9 million in outside spending and a $10,000 contribution to his campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
The dark money group has long fallen in line with Schumer, raking in more than $30 million from his Senate Majority PAC since 2014 while consistently backing his preferred candidates.
Turek, meanwhile, said in April that he wanted "to see all dark money groups get out of politics" while attempting to distance himself from VoteVets following an April 8 forum. He called the group a "super PAC that has decided to support me" and added that his campaign is "not allowed to engage … directly" with it.
Zach Wahls, Turek's primary opponent, accused Schumer and establishment Democrats of trying "to buy" and quietly shape the outcome of the June 2 primary through VoteVets. He ultimately lost by a whopping 25 points.
The contest between Turek and Hinson to fill the Senate seat that Sen. Joni Ernst (R.) is vacating has tightened in recent months. Polling has shifted to give Turek a slight edge, and Cook Political Report moved the race from "lean Republican" to a toss-up in August.
