Hinson and Turek debate costs, health care and the Iran war

Costs and agriculture

Turek blamed the Iran war and the administration’s tariff policies for rising costs and pressure on Iowa farmers, while supporting strategic tariffs to protect American jobs and manufacturing. He called for ending the war and returning to diplomacy. Hinson said the war should end promptly while preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and protecting U.S. allies. She defended trade enforcement against unfair practices.

Both discussed temporary fuel-tax relief. Hinson emphasized lowering fertilizer costs and increasing domestic production. Turek also proposed a ban on diesel exports and use of strategic oil reserves.

Both said they would support a federal farm bill. Hinson continued pressing for her Save Our Bacon Act but said she would support a farm bill without it. She also said she had helped advance year-round E15 through bipartisan work in Congress. Turek called for the farm bill to include year-round E15, country-of-origin labeling for beef and pork, and a federal right to repair farm equipment.

Health care and retirement

Hinson defended the 2025 tax-and-spending law, citing tax relief, rural-health funding and Medicaid work requirements. Turek criticized its reductions in Medicaid and food assistance while supporting selected tax-relief proposals. Both called for stronger limits on health insurers’ control over patient care.

On Social Security, Turek proposed removing the taxable earnings cap and opposed raising the retirement age. He acknowledged that lifting the cap would not solve the program’s financing problem by itself. Hinson proposed a bipartisan commission whose recommendations would receive a congressional vote. She said she would not support benefit cuts but, when asked about raising the retirement age, distinguished younger workers from people already at retirement age.

Immigration enforcement

Turek stood by his position that Homeland Security funding should depend on enforcement reforms, including body cameras. He supported secure borders and described an earned-citizenship pathway for people who came to the country legally.

Hinson criticized the Dignity Act, which she said Turek supported, and defended immigration enforcement. She said she had supported funding for body cameras and that ICE should prioritize dangerous offenders.

AI and data centers

Both candidates opposed tax breaks for data centers and said households should be protected from higher utility bills associated with their energy demands.

Turek proposed a federal requirement for closed-loop cooling to reduce water use. Hinson emphasized local decision-making, including allowing communities to pause development. On AI, she called for safeguards for children and critical infrastructure; Turek emphasized protections for jobs, children, data security and elections.

Campaign money and ethics

Hinson emphasized transparency in campaign spending, said she had voted to ban congressional stock trading, and defended her family’s decision to sell publicly traded stocks. Turek called for campaign-finance changes, a ban on members of Congress owning and trading stocks, and a required annual in-person town hall. He pledged to honor term limits; Hinson said she would support an agreed proposal that reached the floor.

Kay Henderson moderated the debate with reporters Erin Murphy and Stephen Gruber-Miller. Nexstar has scheduled a Senate debate for October 13, from 9 to 10 p.m. Central at WHO 13’s Des Moines studios.