Iowa Democrats are preparing to vote in Tuesday's U.S. Senate primary between state Rep. Josh Turek and state Sen. Zach Wahls, with the winner set to challenge Republicans for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst.

The primary carries significant stakes for Iowa Democrats, who have struggled in recent statewide elections. The last Democrat to win federal office statewide was President Barack Obama in 2012, and all six current federal delegation members are Republicans. The GOP has maintained control of the state legislature for nearly a decade.

Turek, a four-time Paralympic wheelchair basketball player born with spina bifida, represents a state House district that supported Donald Trump. He argues his personal story and focus on economic issues like wages, healthcare, and water quality can appeal to independent and moderate Republican voters. "I think that if we are going to win again in a state like Iowa, it is going be a message of economic populism," Turek said.

Wahls positions himself as an anti-establishment candidate willing to challenge leadership in both parties. He has criticized Turek for not rejecting Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer as caucus leader and says his message can win back working-class voters who supported Obama before switching to Trump. "These are voters who are not hardcore MAGA Trump Republicans. A lot of them are just really frustrated with both parties," Wahls said.

Iowa presents a challenging environment for either Democratic candidate. The state voted for Trump in the last three presidential elections, and Republicans hold a roughly 200,000 registered voter advantage statewide. State auditor Rob Sand was the only Democrat to win statewide office in 2022.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is seeking the Republican nomination for the Senate seat, and a Republican-aligned political group has already committed $29 million to defend it. Nearly 30,000 Democrats had cast early ballots as of Friday, according to state election data.