Hinson’s Gas-Money Request Fuels Iowa Senate Race Debate

During a bus tour stop in Fort Dodge, Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson asked supporters to contribute “gas money” for the campaign vehicle, framing the appeal as a way to channel voter anger about media coverage into turnout efforts. Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek responded on X, calling the request “shameful” given Iowa’s high fuel costs. The exchange has become a focal point in the tightly contested race for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst.

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AAA reported Iowa’s average regular-gasoline price at about $4.14 per gallon, up from $2.72 a year earlier, while diesel averaged $6.07, up from $3.43. Both candidates have linked these spikes to the United States’ involvement in the war with Iran. Hinson defended her seven votes against resolutions limiting President Donald Trump’s ability to sustain the conflict while calling for an end to the war. Turek argued that ending the Iran war is essential to lowering fuel and agricultural input costs.

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• Marist Poll (Oct 8-11): Turek 48 %, Hinson 45 % (± 6.6 pp).

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• YouGov survey (Oct 6-12): Turek 47 %, Hinson 46 % among 2,245 likely voters (± 3.1 pp).

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• Emerson College poll (Oct 5-6): Hinson 47 %, Turek 45 % among 650 likely voters (± 3.8 pp).

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All three polls place the contest within their margins of error, underscoring its “toss-up” status in a state Trump won by more than 13 points in 2024.

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Hinson emphasized the need to lower diesel prices without relying on Russian imports and suggested a temporary federal gas-tax cut, a diesel rebate for producers, and expanded biofuels. Turek advocated suspending federal and state gas taxes, opening the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and halting diesel exports as ways to reduce prices.

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• “Use that anger about these lies that they're telling about us on TV, cause if they're willing to lie about me, they're willing to lie about you,” — Ashley Hinson.

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• “We need to lower diesel prices, but I don't think we need to be making a deal with Russia to do it,” — Ashley Hinson.

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Poll results differ modestly: the Marist poll shows a three-point lead for Turek, while the Emerson College poll shows a two-point lead for Hinson. All three surveys fall within their respective margins of error, leaving the precise state of the race indeterminate. Neither campaign provides independent analysis of how the gas-money request might affect voter perceptions or turnout.

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Early voting has begun, and the candidates will continue to campaign through the final weeks before the November election. Both campaigns have signaled that fuel affordability and the Iran war will remain central themes as voters head to the polls.

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