Josh Turek missed 261 roll-call votes from Jan. 12 through May 3, records show, a span that amounts to nearly 60% of the chamber’s votes in that period while he collected $20,100 in the state’s $201 daily per diem. The figures, drawn from legislative roll-call data and Chief Clerk per diem logs, have become a focal point as Turek campaigns for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst.
The raw numbers are straightforward: the missed votes, the per diem payments and the campaign fundraising totals. But the timing of absences and entries in campaign filings has prompted scrutiny and competing explanations from the campaigns involved.
What the records show on Josh Turek
From Jan. 12 through May 3, Turek was absent for 261 votes, accounting for roughly 58.7% of votes during that stretch, according to session roll-call records. The Chief Clerk’s per diem logs indicate he collected the taxable-exempt daily allowance at the $201 rate up to a total of $20,100.
Those attendance and per diem totals align with public floor-vote listings and payroll entries maintained by the legislative clerk’s office. The campaign points to constituent meetings and statewide organizing as the reason for travel; critics argue the absences raise questions about balancing legislative duties with a national campaign.
Per diem rules and how much he received
Iowa law allows legislators to claim a daily per diem — set at $201 in the current session — to cover lodging and incidental expenses while conducting official duties away from home. The statute caps per diem collection at 100 days per legislative session.
For Turek, the Chief Clerk’s records show the campaign reached $20,100 in per diem payments, consistent with the daily rate multiplied across the days claimed. The payments are lawful under state rules but have fueled debate about whether fundraising travel and legislative absences overlap in ways voters should weigh.
Fundraising totals and comparisons
Federal Election Commission filings show Turek raised about $3.4 million from July 2025 through the end of May, placing his campaign on the lower end of what many analysts expect for a competitive Senate flip effort. By contrast, some established Senate candidates have reported far larger hauls in the same cycle.
To help visualize relative fundraising through May, the chart below compares Turek’s reported haul to a higher-profile Senate example from public FEC filings.
Bars are a visual comparison based on public FEC totals; dollar amounts listed are approximations drawn from filings.
| Candidate | Reported amount (Jul 2025–May) |
|---|---|
| Josh Turek | $3.4 million |
| Sherrod Brown (comparison) | ~$26 million |
The Turek campaign says those funds were used to open field operations and pay for travel to meet donors and voters. Opponents emphasize the combination of fundraising and missed votes as evidence voters deserve closer scrutiny of priorities and transparency in campaign spending.
Timing: missed votes and fundraising events
Public records tie several clusters of missed votes to periods when Turek’s campaign reported events and payments outside Iowa. For example, between March 25 and March 31 he missed 12 votes while FEC reports show roughly $43,000 raised from Southern California donors and campaign payments for hotel costs in Los Angeles.
Another stretch between Feb. 17 and March 23 corresponds with about $36,500 in contributions tied to Washington, D.C., events; Turek missed 16 votes during that span, including votes related to education policy on the House calendar. At one point in March, the records show Turek was absent for 30 consecutive votes.
Those associations are based on timing and public filings; they do not in themselves prove causation between fundraising trips and any specific missed vote. Campaign spokespeople argue some travel served constituent outreach and organizing as part of a statewide Senate campaign.
What voters should know before Nov. 3
Voters evaluating Turek’s record should consider three practical points: the legal per diem rules that permitted the payments, the public roll-call data showing the pattern of absences, and the FEC disclosures that document fundraising tallies and expense items tied to travel.
Expect questions on accountability and transparency in debates and advertising. The race will pit Turek against Rep. Ashley Hinson on Nov. 3; Hinson’s campaign highlights her higher voting percentage in contrast and has raised concerns about Turek’s absences in campaign statements.
Supporters of Turek note his legislative work and bipartisan initiatives, while critics emphasize missed votes on bills affecting veterans, rural health and other constituent issues. Those competing narratives will likely shape voter perceptions as the campaign enters the fall.
Frequently asked questions
Did Josh Turek collect per diem while missing votes?
Yes. Public per diem and payroll entries show Turek received per diem payments totaling about $20,100 while he missed 261 votes during the cited period.
Are missed votes directly linked to fundraising events?
Records show timing overlaps between some clusters of missed votes and documented fundraising trips, but timing alone does not establish direct causation. Campaigns offer differing explanations for travel and absence.
How does Turek’s fundraising compare to other Senate candidates?
FEC filings place Turek’s reported $3.4 million haul in a lower tier compared with some high-profile Senate candidates who have raised far larger sums.
Takeaway
Records confirm the quantities at the center of the debate: 261 missed roll-call votes, roughly $20,100 in per diem payments, and about $3.4 million raised through May. Voters should weigh lawful per diem rules, public attendance records and campaign disclosures as they assess accountability and transparency ahead of Nov. 3.
Reporting for this analysis relied on public roll-call listings and Chief Clerk per diem logs maintained by the legislative clerk’s office, Federal Election Commission filings and a Fox News report highlighting the spending and attendance data. For further detail, see the Fox News story and the FEC candidate filings and floor-vote records cited below.
Source: Fox News — https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-senate-hopeful-pocketed-massive-taxpayer-funded-cash-while-skipping-hundreds-votes. FEC records: FEC candidate filings. Iowa floor-vote records: Legis.iowa.gov floor votes. Chief Clerk per diem logs (Iowa Legislature Clerk’s office).
