Hinson rallies in Ames with former Iowa assistant coach Bruce Pearl

AMES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson rallied with voters in Ames on Friday, four days before the election. She was joined by Bruce Pearl, a former Auburn basketball coach who was also an assistant coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 1980s and 1990s.

Hinson used the event to describe the contrast between herself and her Democratic opponent, Josh Turek. She acknowledged his personal story and said his policies are too liberal for Iowa.

Hinson on Turek’s policies

“I admire all that my opponent has overcome in his life. He’s had a challenging life with his disability. But I’m not concerned about that. I’m concerned about his policies because they’re wrong for our state. And I think that that’s what’s at stake here,” Hinson said.

Pearl said Turek’s campaign rhetoric might not match his actions.

“What a great story. What a terrific — I’m sure he loves our country. But he’s running like a Republican and so he’s going to go to Washington, D.C., if he wins and he’s going to vote with Chuck Schumer 100% of the time,” Pearl said.

Immigration enforcement

Hinson pointed to immigration as an example. Her campaign has repeatedly challenged Turek’s record on immigration enforcement.

“We have to stop the human trafficking, the flow of deadly fentanyl. We do not want the cartels back in business, but that’s exactly what my opponent would do. Because again, his policies are too liberal for Iowa,” Hinson said.

Turek’s record

Turek has voiced support for border security. He was one of three Democrats to vote in favor of a 2024 bill making immigration violations an aggravated misdemeanor in Iowa.

Turek’s campaign said that vote shows “he has repeatedly worked with Republicans” on key issues.

They shared in a statement, “While Ashley Hinson continues to spread false lies four days out from the election to distract from her record of selling out Iowans to enrich herself, Josh Turek is crisscrossing this state and talking directly to Iowans about what he can do to make their lives better. Just yesterday, he talked to farmers in Grinnell about how this Hinson-backed war is costing them thousands more to harvest their fields this year.”

Hinson voted against the Border Act of 2024 in Congress. It said she did so after President Donald Trump pressured Republicans to block the bill during his presidential campaign.

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Isabella Warren covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email her at isabella.warren@kcrg.com; and follow her on Facebook at Isabella Warren TV on X/Twitter@isabellaw_gray, and on Instagram@IsabellaWarrenTV.