Josh Turek, Iowa Democrats' U.S. Senate nominee, missed 261 votes in the state House during the first several months of the 2026 legislative session, according to voting records that are handing Republicans a key campaign issue in the battleground race.

Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs, was absent for nearly 60% of the votes held in the House between Jan. 12 and May 3, according to the records cited in the Fox News report. 

He also received $20,100 in legislative per diem payments during the period, according to the Iowa House chief clerk.

The attendance record has become a campaign issue as Turek seeks to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.

He won the Democratic Senate nomination in June and is set to face Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson in November.

Some of Turek's absences occurred while he was campaigning and fundraising outside Iowa, an analysis in the report showed.

Between March 25 and March 31, Turek missed 12 House votes while his campaign raised approximately $43,000 from donors in Southern California. Campaign records cited in the report also showed hotel expenses in Los Angeles during that period. 

One of the missed votes concerned legislation involving rural health care and medical licensing.

Turek also missed 16 votes between Feb. 17 and March 23 while his campaign raised approximately $36,500 from donors in Washington, D.C. 

His campaign reported an event at an address in Washington during that period, the report said.

One of those missed votes involved consideration of an education standards bill. 

At one point in March, Turek missed 30 consecutive votes, the voting records cited by Fox News showed.

Turek's team defended his missed votes, noting that his Republican opponent, Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, missed votes for fundraisers.

"Just last week, Ashley Hinson skipped votes on the annual defense funding bill to attend a ritzy D.C. fundraiser. Meanwhile, Josh Turek is ranked one of Iowa's most bipartisan and effective lawmakers and has regularly worked with Republicans to cut taxes for Iowa families and keep dangerous criminals off the streets," said a campaign spokesperson, Fox News reported.

Hinson's team shot back, saying she has a 98.8% lifetime voting record since 2020.

"Not only did Josh Turek skip the vote to fund the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs … he also skipped votes on the Iowa Farm Bill, rural health funding, child abuse investigations and, in 2023, gender transition procedures for minors," the spokesperson for Hinson said.