The race to succeed Iowa’s retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is on track to be one of the closest Senate contests in 2026. Ernst, the first woman senator to represent the Hawkeye State, won by 6.5 points in 2020, and President Donald Trump carried it by 8 points that year and by 13 in 2024.

A new statewide Fox News survey finds Iowans now view Trump negatively by 13 points (42% favorable vs. 55% unfavorable). That’s a 19-point swing compared to his +6 rating (52-46%) in the November 2024 Iowa Fox News Voter Analysis (FNVA) election survey. 

The last time Iowa elected a Democratic senator was Tom Harkin nearly 20 years ago (2008).  As it stands, Democrat Josh Turek has an early 4-point advantage over Republican Ashley Hinson: 50% vs. 46%.  It’s an edge that’s within the poll’s margin of error.

Among voters who say they are extremely motivated to vote, Turek holds a 15-point lead, coming largely from greater enthusiasm among Democrats (67% extremely motivated) than Republicans (53%).

 FOX NEWS POLL: MAINE SENATE RACE IS TIGHT, WITH CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES

Hinson’s net favorability is more positive than Trump’s, yet still negative by 7 points (42% favorable, 49% unfavorable) while Turek is much more popular with a net positive rating of 18 points (51%-33%).  Sixteen percent have no opinion of Turek while 9% say the same of Hinson.

In the head-to-head, Turek benefits from the support of women with a college degree (65%), independents (59%), urban voters (59%), and voters under age 30 (55%).

Hinson’s backing comes from White evangelical Christians (67%), men ages 45 and over (55%), veterans (52%), and men without a college degree (52%).  Her support is strongest among MAGA Republicans, who are 23 points more likely to back her than non-MAGA GOPers (95% vs. 72%).

Overall, by 8 points, more Democrats support Turek (96%) than Republicans back Hinson (88%).

 FOX NEWS POLL: LOOKING AHEAD TO AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

By a 10-point margin, more of Turek’s supporters (82%) than Hinson’s (72%) say they are certain to support their candidate in November. Nearly 3 in 10 Hinson supporters say they may change their mind.

More Hinson supporters say their vote is for her rather than against her opponent compared to Turek supporters (77% vote is for Hinson vs. 60% for Turek).

Trump endorsed Hinson last September and voters are divided over her ties to the president: 50% say they are extremely or very concerned she’s too close to Trump, while 48% say they’re not very or not at all concerned.

Fewer voters are worried Turek’s positions on the issues are too liberal: 37% concerned vs. 59% not concerned. 

«Iowa has turned red during the last decade, but these data suggest a reversion to swing status,» says Republican Pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. «A trifecta of issues helps Democrats: Iowans have been hit hard by rising prices, they are notoriously skeptical about foreign engagements, and the agricultural community isn’t happy about tariffs.»

In the 2024 FNVA, 31% of Iowans said they were falling behind financially. That number is now 42% — nearly 4 times as many as those saying they are getting ahead (11%).  Nearly half say they are holding steady (46%).

Four in 10 Iowans say the most important issue to their Senate vote will be inflation (39%). Healthcare (14%), immigration/border security (13%), and political divisions (13%) lag behind, and even fewer say abortion (6%), jobs/unemployment (6%), Iran (4%), and crime (2%).

Turek has the edge on voters who say their most important issues are inflation (+15 points), healthcare (+53), and political divisions (+20).  Hinson has a whopping 88-point advantage on the issue of immigration.

Like Ernst, Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds opted not to seek a third term.

The new survey finds Democratic nominee Rob Sand with a 9-point lead over Republican challenger Zach Lahn in the race to succeed Reynolds. 

Sand benefits from some crossover support, as 11% of Hinson supporters favor him for governor compared to 7% of Turek supporters backing Lahn.

More Sand supporters say they’re certain of their choice than Lahn backers (81% to 74%).

Sand enjoys a +21 personal rating: 54% favorable, 33% unfavorable.  Lahn’s ratings are negative by 3 points, with 20% unable to rate him (38% favorable, 41% unfavorable, 20% no opinion).

CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE

Conducted June 23-27, 2026 under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with a sample of 1,003 Iowa registered voters randomly selected from a statewide voter file.  Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (104) and cellphones (662) or completed the survey online after receiving a text message (237).  Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ± 3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher.  In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.  Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population.  Results among subgroups are only shown when the sample size is at least N=100.

Siete funcionarios del Ministerio de Justicia y Paz fueron remitidos a la Fiscalía de Flagrancia del Primer Circuito Judicial de San José como sospechosos de intentar introducir dispositivos electrónicos prohibidos al Centro de Atención Institucional (CAI) San José, conocido como la cárcel de San Sebastián.

El caso fue detectado durante un operativo de control interno realizado por la Policía Penitenciaria en los accesos del centro penal, como parte de las inspecciones de rutina que se aplican al personal antes de iniciar su jornada laboral.

Según informó el Ministerio de Justicia, durante las revisiones los oficiales localizaron cuatro chips para teléfono celular, una llave maya, una tarjeta de memoria y un cable USB, artículos cuyo ingreso está prohibido debido al riesgo que representan para la seguridad dentro de los centros penitenciarios.

Entre las personas remitidas a las autoridades judiciales figuran cinco oficiales de la Policía Penitenciaria y dos funcionarios administrativos, quienes quedaron a disposición de la Fiscalía de Flagrancia para que se determine su situación jurídica mientras avanzan las investigaciones.

Hasta el momento, las autoridades no han revelado si los dispositivos estaban destinados a algún privado de libertad en particular ni si existe alguna organización criminal detrás del aparente intento de introducir estos artículos al centro penitenciario.

El hallazgo se produjo como resultado de los controles internos implementados por la propia Policía Penitenciaria, una estrategia que el Ministerio de Justicia ha reforzado en los últimos meses con el objetivo de combatir posibles actos de corrupción dentro del sistema carcelario.

El director de la Policía Penitenciaria, Pablo Bertozzi, afirmó que la institución mantendrá una política de absoluta firmeza frente a cualquier conducta que comprometa la seguridad de los centros penales.

“El orden y la disciplina también empiezan por casa. La Policía Penitenciaria seguirá fortaleciendo sus controles internos y actuará con absoluta firmeza frente a cualquier conducta que comprometa la seguridad de los centros penales. La corrupción no tiene cabida en esta institución”, manifestó el comisario.

El jerarca añadió que la institución continuará intensificando las revisiones tanto a visitantes como al personal penitenciario, con el propósito de evitar el ingreso de objetos que puedan facilitar actividades ilícitas dentro de las cárceles.

Por su parte, el Ministerio de Justicia respaldó la actuación de la Policía Penitenciaria y reiteró que la administración mantiene una política de “cero tolerancia con la corrupción”.

En un mensaje divulgado tras el operativo, la institución aseguró que continuará fortaleciendo los mecanismos de control interno para detectar y sancionar cualquier irregularidad cometida por funcionarios del sistema penitenciario.

“La Dirección de la Policía Penitenciaria pone orden y envía a la Fiscalía de Flagrancia a siete funcionarios del CAI San José por intentar meter artículos ilegales. Cero tolerancia con la corrupción. Vamos a limpiar la casa”, señaló el Ministerio de Justicia.

Los dispositivos electrónicos, especialmente los chips para teléfonos celulares y las memorias de almacenamiento, son considerados artículos de alto riesgo dentro de los centros penitenciarios, ya que pueden facilitar comunicaciones no autorizadas entre personas privadas de libertad y organizaciones criminales que operan fuera de las cárceles.

Por esa razón, el ingreso de este tipo de objetos está estrictamente prohibido y constituye una de las principales amenazas para el control y la seguridad penitenciaria.

El caso ahora permanecerá bajo investigación de la Fiscalía de Flagrancia, que determinará si existen elementos suficientes para presentar cargos contra los siete funcionarios involucrados.

Mientras tanto, el Ministerio de Justicia aseguró que continuará colaborando con las autoridades judiciales y reiteró que cualquier funcionario que incurra en actos que comprometan la seguridad del sistema penitenciario enfrentará las consecuencias administrativas y penales correspondientes.

La investigación representa uno de los casos más recientes en los que los propios mecanismos de control interno del sistema penitenciario permiten detectar presuntas irregularidades cometidas por funcionarios públicos, en momentos en que el Gobierno ha insistido en reforzar las medidas para combatir la corrupción y fortalecer la seguridad en los centros penales del país.

San Diego County’s officials and its Democratic-led Board of Supervisors are facing backlash after an America 250 Fourth of July celebration originally pitched as a tribute to the Declaration of Independence was reshaped with DEI-focused sponsorship rules.

The celebration’s main programming is expected to feature a tribal blessing, a land acknowledgment, and nearly two-hours of community-story segments centered on «historically underserved populations.»

Bill Wells, the mayor of San Diego County’s City of El Cajon, and other critics pointed out that America’s founding appeared to be sidelined in tentative plans for the upcoming countywide Fourth of July event held along a San Diego-area waterfront. The event, which is lacking funds needed for a full setup, saw at least one sponsor drop after it was mandated they attest to a series of DEI principles as a condition of participating, according to county board materials and internal county emails obtained by Fox News Digital. 

«I have an alternative plan: 1. Acknowledge America and its greatness. 2. Celebrate with fireworks and the American National Anthem,» Wells posted on X, alongside a copy of the 4th of July celebration’s planned schedule, which matches an internal county «run of show» obtained by Fox News Digital.

CALIFORNIA DEMS ACCUSED OF PUTTING SANCTUARY LAW OVER MIGRANT CHILD WELFARE CHECKS: ‘REAL CHILDREN’

The rundown obtained by Fox News Digital lists a «Tribal Intimate blessing welcoming to land» shortly after guest arrival and sound check, followed by a «Welcoming and Land Acknowledgment» led by the emcee, then a «Tribal Invocation,» the Black national anthem and regular national anthem, and then nearly two hours of community-story segments focused on local tribal, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, LGBT, and Black and African communities.

The event, which will also feature music, food trucks, booths and other «cultural presentations,» then concludes with closing remarks, fireworks and clean-up.

«The official government July 4th itinerary of San Diego reads like the opening ceremony of the Democratic Socialists of America convention,» quipped David McIntosh, President of the conservative political advocacy giant Club for Growth.

DEMS PUT ON BLAST OVER POLL THAT SHOWS RECORD-LOW PATRIOTISM IN US: ‘TEAR OUR SOCIETY APART’

Back in February, Jim Desmond, a Republican San Diego County Supervisor, introduced an agenda item to bring forward a Fourth of July event «commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,» citing the area’s «deep-rooted relationship to the nation’s defense and civic institutions.»

Subsequently, the board, which is controlled by a 3-2 Democratic majority, introduced and passed a motion to amend weeks later, which directed the county’s chief administrative officer to coordinate with the Office of Equity and Racial Justice and the county’s Tribal Liaison to incorporate community engagement focused on tribal nations, immigrant communities, LGBT communities and other «historically underserved groups.»

People celebrate the 4th of July along the La Jolla coast on a hot summer day on July 4, 2023 in San Diego, California. San Diego is a top destination for summer travel. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

«Supervisors Desmond and Anderson brought forward a 250th celebration for the whole region. The three Democrats rewrote it, tied it to the county’s ‘equity, inclusion, and racial justice goals,’ and handed planning to the Office of Equity and Racial Justice,» Wells explained on X, posting images of the meeting minutes that showed the Democrats’ amendments.

«Independence Day, especially this one, is about celebrating and honoring America,» the mayor added in comments to Fox News Digital. «What the county of San Diego has created ignores this in favor of grievance and a sense that our country is not great or worthy of pride. That’s just offensive, especially in light of the fact that they’re using taxpayer money to do so.»

‘JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME’ QUIZZES BEACHGOERS ON AMERICAN HISTORY FOR JULY 4TH

Among the changes was a requirement for event donors and sponsors to commit themselves to supporting the county’s woke DEI principles, which led at least one to drop out, according to internal county emails obtained and reviewed by Fox News Digital. 

The sponsor’s pending $2,500 donation did not move forward after the donor declined to complete a required form mandating they show alignment with the county’s values on DEI and support for immigrant communities, the county staff emails indicated. Meanwhile, staff separately said in the emails that the event was short thousands of dollars needed for a full stage, lighting and sound setup.

Hundreds protest outside a rally held by President Donald Trump at Macomb County Community College in Warren, MI, on April 29, 2025. (Getty Images/Dominic Gwinn)

«Democrats are essentially excluding White community members from the Fourth of July» anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck contended in response to the event’s planned schedule and «equity» focus on «underserved populations,» describing it as «vile.»

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to San Diego County, as well as its Department of Parks and Recreation, for comment on the criticism, but did not hear back.