Before I was “Josh Turek, Paralympian, pro athlete, State Rep and U.S. Senate nominee” I was just Josh, a kid from Council Bluffs with spina bifida who was struggling to navigate a world that wasn’t designed for wheelchairs.
Everything began to change when I was 11. In fact it was 36 years ago last month – the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Suddenly there were ramps and sidewalks where I needed them, and more opportunities for kids like me to play sports, succeed in school, and chase the same dreams as everyone else. It gave me a seat at the table.
And I learned that there was somebody in Washington fighting tooth and nail for a working-class kid from Council Bluffs, even though — at the time — he didn’t know my name.
So much of what I’ve accomplished in my life, from education to athletics to public service, was made possible by the work of a great United States Senator from Iowa.
I’m honored to call that senator, Tom Harkin, a supporter of my campaign and a genuine personal friend.
Last month, Senator Harkin and I came together to mark the ADA’s 36th anniversary and celebrate the progress we’ve made since its passage.
The ADA is one of the greatest civil rights advances in American history; an example of what a determined public servant can achieve; and a powerful reminder of why elections matter.
When we elect leaders who are willing to actually fight for the people they represent, we can change lives.
That knowledge will guide me every day when I’m the literal and figurative Sitting Senator from Iowa.
It will be beautifully poetic when I take back Senator Harkin’s seat in November; a victory that will only be possible because of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The path to taking back the Senate majority this November rolls straight through Iowa. We can protect and expand the ADA and open up new avenues to the American Dream to all — whether we’re on foot or on wheels — by winning this tied race. You hold the key to that future.
My campaign has never taken corporate PAC money. That’s the kind of principled senator I’ll be. But I’m facing a flood of superPAC money trying to keep me out of this seat, and I need your help to make sure they don’t succeed.
Together,
Josh Turek
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