Democrat Josh Turek Funded By Green New Deal, Anti-Meat Activists
Matt Mercer
Breitbart
October 23, 2026
Iowa Democrat Senate candidate Josh Turek says he is a friend of farmers, but he attended a San Francisco fundraiser held for him by activists who want Biden-era Green New Deal policies, oppose year-round E-15 ethanol gasoline, and believe Americans should limit their intake of red meat.
Turek flew to California for a fundraiser hosted by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) for which tickets cost up to $10,000.
Iowa is the second-largest red meat-producing state in the country and leads the nation in ethanol production, supporting around 42,000 jobs statewide.
The NRDC is well known for their radical and weird anti-meat agenda. The organization believes Americans should limit their intake of red meat and advocates for Americans to eliminate a quarter pound of beef per week to reduce global warming. The NRDC also calls for reductions in red meat purchases by 30 percent and “more plant-forward menus.”
Turek has taken in at least $19,500 from NRDC leadership. (NRDC lists Mary J. Penniman as its treasurer.) The group is also behind GiveGreen, which has a dedicated Josh Turek Victory Fund fundraising page calling him “a pro-environment” candidate who will help “make further federal climate progress.”
The NRDC also opposed a year-round E-15 ethanol proposal and referred to ethanol as “old, dirty corn” while arguing that it doesn’t meet the definition of an advanced biofuel. The same individuals behind the trashing of the industry are now lined up behind Turek.
Not only does the NRDC oppose industries critical to Iowa’s economy; it also endorsed a proposal from Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey to spend $1.6 trillion to make American schools comply with Green New Deal standards.
In the Iowa state Senate, where Turek currently serves, he opposed permanent relief from the death tax for over 2 million family-owned farms and skipped a vote on the Iowa Farm Bill. One bill he did vote for, though, was to allow imitation-meat labeling for products in Iowa public schools.
Turek faces Republican Ashley Hinson in the November 3 election to succeed Sen. Joni Ernst. Earlier this week, a poll of the contest showed Hinson ahead with 47 percent to Turek’s 44 percent.
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