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Navigating the Nonsense

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Trial Balloon · Ep. 189: Navigating the Nonsense

Ashley Hinson Just Ahead in Iowa Senate Race

October 3, 2026 · 6:44 am ET · Leave a Comment

A new New York Times/Siena poll in Iowa finds Ashley Hinson (R) leading Josh Turek (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 48% to 47%.

Iowa Senate Race

Ashley Hinson (R) 48%

Josh Turek (D) 47%

New York Times/Siena poll · likely voters

The same poll in Iowa finds Rob Sand (D) leading Zach Lahn (R) in the governor’s race, 52% to 41%.

Iowa Governor’s Race

Rob Sand (D) 52%

Zach Lahn (R) 41%

New York Times/Siena poll · likely voters

« Democrats May Have Recipe for Flipping Red Senate Seats

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Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.