DES MOINES, Iowa —

Iowa Rep. Josh Turek announced his campaign for U.S. Senate Tuesday, becoming the fifth Democrat running for the seat currently held by Sen. Joni Ernst.

Turek, 46, launched his campaign with a video titled “Underdog,” where he shared his experience on the path to become a two-time Paralympic gold medalist. The Council Bluffs native, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, said his family got assistance from Iowa’s free summer lunch program and Area Education Agencies as he was growing up.

“I knew nothing would come easy, but I never doubted my right to the American dream,” Turek said in the video. “Sitting in my wheelchair nine years old, watching the Olympics, I dreamed of winning gold for my country, too. In 2016 I did just that.”

After his 2016 and 2

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