Josh Turek: I didn't know before the debate that Turek is married to an immigrant. His on-air comment that he's concerned for her, that she carry her passport with her in public, revealed a side of Turek not seen in his ads. Turek referred to Wahls' higher income as an issue that separates the two candidates. This difference matters to me, even if it shouldn't. Turek has personally endured childhood disability trauma and grown to be a man on a mission to continue the work of the ADA. Does it matter that Zack Wahls and JD Vance have similar facial hair? I preferred Turek's less excitable responses to the PBS moderators' questions.
Such a thorough synopsis scouring of political happenings in Washington and Iowa, Laura. Thank you. Something about visiting the beautiful building that is the Iowa Capitol awakens the senses to imagine the impact of the law of the land decisions that are decided upon. Some are trivial and commonsensical and others are horrifically consequential: (e.g. school vouchers, insufficient budget adjustments that translate to yearly budget cuts to public school kids’ education, the purported ‘heartbeat’ bill’; transgender civil rights stripped and transgender students outed’). Thank you for all that you’ve done, Laura, covering the events of the legislative session.
Turek was the grown up in the room in that debate. Wahls has never faced a Republican before, while Turek beats GOPers in a GOP district! Whals is the poster boy for GOP stereotypes of Dems that have left Dems out of power in Iowa for a decade — from out of touch Iowa City and the unions’ guy. Havent we tried that before and lost badly!
Haven't we tried Republican Light candidates before and lost then too? Turek voting record shows he has voted almost as much with Republicans as he has Democrats. So what are we to believe about him?!
Then I'd ask you to check at FreedomIndex.us website...Because this John Birch Society web page gives Turek a very much Republican grading...He's doing pretty well with them. Twice as well as Wahls. Like 44 to 20.
Without knowing what votes they scored I can’t tell how they came up with those numbers. On important bills their voting records have been almost identical. The House votes on more bills than the Senate in Iowa so that could account for some of the disparity.
The debate between Wahls and Turek didn't enlighten me in the least bit. Wahls argued and clearly thought he could control how he was the better of the two candidates, but clealy was not convincing me that he was giving us the whole truth of the matter. The one thing that makes me skeptical is something I learned long ago, "Figures don't lie; but liars do figure!" In politics making people believe you to get elected, does not insure those politicians are going to honor you vote for them! Dave Loebsack, who was supported by the Peace Community became a hardy supporter of the military after elected is my one obvious example of that! So, if those votes matter immediately to get elected, so be it! Once you are in, it is harder to get you out, when you are the incumbent edge, (franking privledges to send out reminders of how well you are doing etc.)
I have nothing against Zach Whals. I am sure his record is what he says it is and I agree w 99% of it. However, this US Senate seat is too impt to risk it on a guy who has never been in a real political fight against GOP.
And you think a under 4 year political experienced candidate can? I'm also hearing he didn't flip any seat...that is another smokescreen. Wahls was first elected out of Cedar County- so let's not discount that. I'm from there and it doesn't feel or look Blue to me!
The original Wahls district was also blue. Otherwise Republicans would have fielded a candidate there in 2018.
Turek didn't flip a seat but he outperformed every other Democrat on the ballot by a lot. In similar districts, Republicans picked up the seat as soon as the Democratic incumbent retired.
And perhaps all that's true, but it could be true for the wrong reasons. What of Charlie McConkey, because I've seen some places that Turek took his spot in 2022?
Also what about this Ethics inquiry launched by Turek & Turek supporter? See Cedar Rapids Gazette today. This is leaving a rancid aweful taste in my mouth. You??
I don't know whether Charlie McConkey would have won in 2022 if he hadn't retired. Several Iowa House Democrats in similar areas have lost their re-election bids (Ottumwa in 2020, Burlington in 2022, Marshalltown in 2024).
Democrats have lost Iowa House seats in Fort Dodge, Newton, Clinton, and Mason City after the previous incumbent retired. So I would not discount Turek's victory in 2022, which was a generally terrible year to be a Democrat on an Iowa ballot.
I'm planning to go to the ethics committee meeting on Friday and will report on that next week.
Joe Mitchell's neighbors here in downtown Des Moines were shocked to hear he "lived in Clear Lake" when he declared his candidacy. It was a topic of conversation in this building. He'd returned from DC fairly recently with a remote administration job when he announced. He has since transferred ownership of his condo unit to an LLC.
This is interesting - his Clear Lake property was owned by Skup Ag LLC in May 2024. Sukup transferred to BAM Development (who's registered agent is Michael Bousselot). BAM transferred to Emerald Cove LLC (Bousselot is also the registered agent for Emerald Cove)
4/16/2026 EMERALD COVE LLC MITCHELL JOSEPH
9/3/2025 BAM DEVELOPMENT LLC EMERALD COVE LLC
5/13/2024 SUKUP AG LLC BAM DEVELOPMENT LLC
Mitchell is a very ambitious young man who's done very well hitching his wagon to Trump's star. First a job in DC, then a job that allowed remote work from Des Moines, is he still on the federal dime?
Thank you for all the layers, Laura.
Josh Turek: I didn't know before the debate that Turek is married to an immigrant. His on-air comment that he's concerned for her, that she carry her passport with her in public, revealed a side of Turek not seen in his ads. Turek referred to Wahls' higher income as an issue that separates the two candidates. This difference matters to me, even if it shouldn't. Turek has personally endured childhood disability trauma and grown to be a man on a mission to continue the work of the ADA. Does it matter that Zack Wahls and JD Vance have similar facial hair? I preferred Turek's less excitable responses to the PBS moderators' questions.
They met in Spain when he was playing professional wheelchair basketball. I believe she is originally from the Dominican Republic.
Such a thorough synopsis scouring of political happenings in Washington and Iowa, Laura. Thank you. Something about visiting the beautiful building that is the Iowa Capitol awakens the senses to imagine the impact of the law of the land decisions that are decided upon. Some are trivial and commonsensical and others are horrifically consequential: (e.g. school vouchers, insufficient budget adjustments that translate to yearly budget cuts to public school kids’ education, the purported ‘heartbeat’ bill’; transgender civil rights stripped and transgender students outed’). Thank you for all that you’ve done, Laura, covering the events of the legislative session.
My first and perhaps only priority in picking Wahls or Turek, is who seems most likely to beat Hinson
Turek was the grown up in the room in that debate. Wahls has never faced a Republican before, while Turek beats GOPers in a GOP district! Whals is the poster boy for GOP stereotypes of Dems that have left Dems out of power in Iowa for a decade — from out of touch Iowa City and the unions’ guy. Havent we tried that before and lost badly!
Haven't we tried Republican Light candidates before and lost then too? Turek voting record shows he has voted almost as much with Republicans as he has Democrats. So what are we to believe about him?!
That’s completely false. He has voted with Republicans on a small number of things. Their voting records are almost identical on most things.
Thank you Laura
Then I'd ask you to check at FreedomIndex.us website...Because this John Birch Society web page gives Turek a very much Republican grading...He's doing pretty well with them. Twice as well as Wahls. Like 44 to 20.
Without knowing what votes they scored I can’t tell how they came up with those numbers. On important bills their voting records have been almost identical. The House votes on more bills than the Senate in Iowa so that could account for some of the disparity.
The debate between Wahls and Turek didn't enlighten me in the least bit. Wahls argued and clearly thought he could control how he was the better of the two candidates, but clealy was not convincing me that he was giving us the whole truth of the matter. The one thing that makes me skeptical is something I learned long ago, "Figures don't lie; but liars do figure!" In politics making people believe you to get elected, does not insure those politicians are going to honor you vote for them! Dave Loebsack, who was supported by the Peace Community became a hardy supporter of the military after elected is my one obvious example of that! So, if those votes matter immediately to get elected, so be it! Once you are in, it is harder to get you out, when you are the incumbent edge, (franking privledges to send out reminders of how well you are doing etc.)
I have nothing against Zach Whals. I am sure his record is what he says it is and I agree w 99% of it. However, this US Senate seat is too impt to risk it on a guy who has never been in a real political fight against GOP.
And you think a under 4 year political experienced candidate can? I'm also hearing he didn't flip any seat...that is another smokescreen. Wahls was first elected out of Cedar County- so let's not discount that. I'm from there and it doesn't feel or look Blue to me!
The original Wahls district was also blue. Otherwise Republicans would have fielded a candidate there in 2018.
Turek didn't flip a seat but he outperformed every other Democrat on the ballot by a lot. In similar districts, Republicans picked up the seat as soon as the Democratic incumbent retired.
And perhaps all that's true, but it could be true for the wrong reasons. What of Charlie McConkey, because I've seen some places that Turek took his spot in 2022?
Also what about this Ethics inquiry launched by Turek & Turek supporter? See Cedar Rapids Gazette today. This is leaving a rancid aweful taste in my mouth. You??
I don't know whether Charlie McConkey would have won in 2022 if he hadn't retired. Several Iowa House Democrats in similar areas have lost their re-election bids (Ottumwa in 2020, Burlington in 2022, Marshalltown in 2024).
Democrats have lost Iowa House seats in Fort Dodge, Newton, Clinton, and Mason City after the previous incumbent retired. So I would not discount Turek's victory in 2022, which was a generally terrible year to be a Democrat on an Iowa ballot.
I'm planning to go to the ethics committee meeting on Friday and will report on that next week.
I correct my previous post about Gazette article...as Turek is not directly involved in bringing this Ethics complaint, but his supporter is doing so.
Glad to hear that Charlie McConkey was part of this Turek electability situation.
You did not yet address this Ethics complaint - Is that because you are now creating a new post here to discuss this?!
I will be covering the ethics complaint on next Monday's radio show.
Joe Mitchell's neighbors here in downtown Des Moines were shocked to hear he "lived in Clear Lake" when he declared his candidacy. It was a topic of conversation in this building. He'd returned from DC fairly recently with a remote administration job when he announced. He has since transferred ownership of his condo unit to an LLC.
This is interesting - his Clear Lake property was owned by Skup Ag LLC in May 2024. Sukup transferred to BAM Development (who's registered agent is Michael Bousselot). BAM transferred to Emerald Cove LLC (Bousselot is also the registered agent for Emerald Cove)
4/16/2026 EMERALD COVE LLC MITCHELL JOSEPH
9/3/2025 BAM DEVELOPMENT LLC EMERALD COVE LLC
5/13/2024 SUKUP AG LLC BAM DEVELOPMENT LLC
Mitchell is a very ambitious young man who's done very well hitching his wagon to Trump's star. First a job in DC, then a job that allowed remote work from Des Moines, is he still on the federal dime?
He changed his voter registration to the Clear Lake address shortly after Labor Day 2025, then launched his campaign a few days later.
He quit his job at HUD less than two months after they announced he was a regional administrator. To my knowledge he is not on the federal dime.