Iowa Senate Candidate's Ad Opposing Medicaid Trans Care Draws Backlash
Iowa Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek released an ad opposing Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care for transgender Iowans and opposing transgender women competing in women's sports, drawing criticism from both LGBTQ+ advocacy group One Iowa Action and Republicans. One Iowa Action called the ad a "dramatic departure" from other Democratic candidates' positions, specifically faulting Turek for calling for a policy change banning Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care, distinct from other Democrats who have only addressed sports participation. Turek, a state representative, previously voted against a 2025 Iowa Health and Human Services appropriations bill containing a similar Medicaid restriction, citing concerns about Medicaid waitlists and provider shortages rather than the coverage ban itself. The controversy follows Iowa Republicans' repeated past efforts to enact a state-level ban on Medicaid coverage for gender-confirming surgeries, including a 2019 law later struck down by courts.