Josh Turek family: All on wife Jarolin and children as Paralympic gold medalist wins Iowa Senate primary

Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek has won the Democratic nomination for his state’s open U.S. Senate seat. Here's what we know about his family.

Updated on: Jun 03, 2026 7:45 AM IST

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Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek has won the Democratic nomination for his state’s open U.S. Senate seat, NBC News projects. Turek went on to defeat state Sen. Zach Wahls. He will face Rep. Ashley Hinson, the winner of Tuesday’s GOP primary, in the general election.

Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks to supporters before a canvassing event, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Waukee, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Turek, 47, is a former Paralympic gold medalist in basketball.

“Iowans feel like they’re pushing uphill, and I know exactly what that feels like, because it’s working-class families like mine paying the price for Trump’s war and Washington’s corruption,” Turek said in a campaign ad that featured him pushing his wheelchair up an incline. “In the Senate, I’ll take on Trump, and no one will push harder for change.”

Turek lives in Council Bluffs with his wife Jarolin, who is an immigrant and now a US citizen, and his children, according to the Josh Turek for Iowa website. He was raised in a working-class family, and has four siblings who all competed in collegiate or professional basketball. He is the son of John and Luellen Turek.

Turek’s father, John, was a Vietnam War veteran. His exposure to Agent Orange led to lifelong health issues before his death. Turek’s mother was reportedly instrumental in introducing him to adaptive sports.

Turek’s brother John and sister Elisha both played college and professional basketball overseas.

Josh Turek’s wife and children

Turek is married to Jarolin He is married to Jarolin Turek, an immigrant from Spain whom he met while playing professional basketball in Europe. The two have a bilingual, multi-cultural household, according to The Harkin Institute. Jarolin works in health care.

There is little publicly available information on Turek’s children, except that he and his wife share a few kids together.

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Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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