Iowa’s Democratic U.S. Senate candidates clashed over outside spending at a campaign forum sponsored by a group aimed at getting money out of politics.
The Wednesday, April 8, forum in Des Moines was sponsored by Progress Iowa and End Citizens United, a group dedicated to overturning the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision that paved the way for greater outside spending in campaigns.
It was one of the first chances for the two Democrats — state Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, and state Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville — to appear on the same stage ahead of the June 2 primary.
Both candidates have staked out similar positions, refusing corporate PAC donations to their campaigns, pledging to ban stock trading by members of Congress and their families and promising to pass a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United.
But asked by Progress Iowa Executive Director Mazie Stilwell what distinguishes him from his opponent, Wahls was quick to share a contrast.
“Right now there is a dark money super PAC that is currently spending millions of dollars bolstering Rep. Turek’s campaign,” Wahls said.
VoteVets, a PAC that helps elect Democratic veterans, has spent more than $2.6 million to air television and digital ads on behalf of Turek. So far, they are the only group airing ads in the Democratic primary race.
Turek is not a military veteran but was born with spina bifida, which he says is from his father’s exposure to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam.
Wahls said the group is aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who he has refused to vote for as Senate leader if elected.
“I don’t think it is a coincidence that on the very first day of my campaign I said I think it is time for new leadership in the Senate Democrats, and Rep. Turek has not taken that position,” Wahls said. “And so if you think that there is not a connection between those two things, I don’t know what to tell you.”
Turek said he has been “crystal clear” that he opposes dark money in politics and pointed out that by law he cannot coordinate or engage with super PACs.
“I believe that we need to get the dark money out of politics in every single way,” he told reporters after the event. “This is a super PAC that has decided to support me. I would like to see all dark money groups get out of politics. And I’ve been clear. Every single one of my policies states that.”
Turek said “it’s disappointing” Wahls chose to take a negative approach.
“Anybody that heard myself and then heard Sen. Wahls, you’ll see a very distinct energy there,” he said. “I am someone that is talking about the need for hope and positivity and optimism, and the need to focus on the issues, not on going after him.”
Josh Turek, Zach Wahls make electability pitches
When Turek was asked during the forum to distinguish himself from Wahls, Turek said “I don’t have anything disparaging to say about Sen. Wahls.”
He said he believes “this comes down to electability, first and foremost,” touting his two victories in his Iowa House seat which President Donald Trump also carried.
“I know that I can win because the district that I represent is more red than the state is as a whole,” Turek said. “I know that there’s something specific about my story, my background, my resume and my politics that has a unique ability to connect with independents and with Republicans.”
Wahls said Iowans are “sick of a broken status quo in Washington, D.C.” and he said his campaign’s anti-corruption message is resonating with political independents and Republicans, which will help him win the general election in November.
He cited the announcement that the Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, is planning to spend $29 million in Iowa over the summer and fall to support Republican frontrunner U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson as a sign that the GOP is worried about whether it can hold the seat.
“They know that they are going to have to fight really hard to try to protect this seat,” he said. “And I think that they are afraid of the fact that we are building a coalition that spans the political spectrum.”
Both campaigns make populist pitches
Both candidates highlighted populist campaign pitches aimed at helping working class Americans and taking on billionaires and corporations.
“We can have oligarchy or we can have democracy but we cannot have both,” Turek said. “And I want to go to the U.S. Senate to be fighting for Iowa and Iowans and not for large corporations or billionaires.”
Wahls said his campaign “is about speaking truth to power.”
“It is incredibly important that voters understand the problems in our economy are directly linked to the corruption of our politics, whether that is the ability of corporations to influence lawmakers with their campaign contributions, whether that is dark money super PACs trying to buy elections and influence outcomes,” he said. “Iowans are the ones who are going to decide this election, not the insiders.”
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Wahls calls out Turek over super PAC spending at Iowa Senate forum
Reporting by Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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