Turning Point Is Laying Groundwork to Shape 2028 Republican Presidential Primary/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Turning Point Action is expanding its grassroots organization in Iowa with the goal of operating in all 99 counties before the 2028 Republican caucuses. The conservative group has not endorsed a candidate, but its leaders have indicated they are prepared to support Vice President JD Vance if he runs. This year’s competitive Iowa elections will provide an early test of whether Turning Point can convert its online visibility into electoral influence.
Quick Look
- Turning Point Action wants a coordinator in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.
- Iowa is expected to open the Republican presidential nominating process in 2028.
- The organization is also expanding in New Hampshire and Nevada.
- Turning Point has not formally endorsed a presidential candidate.
- Its leadership has signaled strong interest in supporting JD Vance.
- Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are among other possible Republican contenders.
- Iowa’s 2026 races will test the group’s organizing strength.
- Some Iowa Republicans welcome its growth, while others question its practical impact.
Deep Look
Turning Point prepares early for the 2028 campaign
DES MOINES, Iowa — Turning Point Action is building a county-level political organization in Iowa as the conservative group seeks to influence the Republican presidential nominating contest in 2028.
At the Iowa State Fair, its activists attracted online attention by heckling Democratic politicians. Away from those confrontations, staff members conducted the less visible work of registering voters, distributing campaign materials and recruiting people for local activities.
“Building the foundation for 2028,” one organization flyer said.
Although Democrats have removed Iowa from the leading position in their presidential primary calendar, the state’s caucuses are expected to begin the next Republican nomination process. Turning Point’s early investment demonstrates how preparations for the 2028 campaign are already developing before the 2026 midterms have concluded or any presidential candidate has formally entered the race.
Organizers target all 99 Iowa counties
Turning Point Action says it wants at least one organizer in every Iowa county to recruit activists and increase conservative participation in the caucuses.
“It is important to us to see high voter participation in the caucuses,” Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer said. “That’s your measuring stick.”
The organization describes its “Iowa 99” initiative as an effort to organize in all 99 counties and recruit coordinators committed to electing a conservative presidential nominee in 2028.
Turning Point has also increased its presence in New Hampshire and Nevada. Work performed there during the midterm campaign could provide the organization with infrastructure in other states that traditionally play influential roles in presidential nomination contests.
More than a dozen Iowa Republican officials, activists, legislators and strategists told the AP that Turning Point’s growing presence was noticeable. Some nevertheless questioned privately whether its electoral impact would match the attention it receives on social media.
Others have welcomed its arrival.
“A year ago, Iowa was virgin — no Turning Point. And many of us complained,” former Dallas County Republican Chair Kelley Koch told a meeting of MAGA Nation Iowa, the group she founded. “Finally, Turning Point Action listened to us.”
JD Vance could benefit from the expansion
Vice President JD Vance could become the leading beneficiary of Turning Point’s organizing network if he enters the 2028 race.
Vance has not announced a campaign and has said he remains focused on his current responsibilities. Turning Point leaders, including Erika Kirk, the widow of the organization’s assassinated founder Charlie Kirk, have indicated they are prepared to support him if he becomes a candidate.
Bowyer said the group has not yet made a formal endorsement because no Republican has entered the contest.
“We haven’t officially endorsed as an organization yet because no one’s announced, right? But, you know, depending on who announces and when we endorse — yeah, of course we’ll be out campaigning on behalf of who we endorse,” Bowyer said.
He described Vance as a potential link between President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement and younger conservatives attracted to Charlie Kirk’s political message.
“It’s a natural fit,” Bowyer said.
Turning Point’s support is therefore not official, and its Iowa operation is currently being presented as a broader voter-participation effort rather than an organization created for a specific candidate.
Other Republicans consider their options
Vance would not necessarily be the only Republican seeking the nomination.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been mentioned as a possible candidate, although he has said he would not run against Vance. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has made several Iowa appearances and publicly acknowledged his presidential ambitions.
“It’s no secret that I want to be president,” Cruz said during a recent podcast.
No prospective candidate has formally launched a 2028 campaign, leaving the composition of the Republican field unsettled.
Midterms provide an immediate test
Before Turning Point can demonstrate its potential influence in a presidential caucus, it will face a more immediate test during Iowa’s midterm elections.
The state has moved toward Republicans over the past decade, but competitive contests have emerged amid concerns about healthcare access, agricultural disruptions and Trump’s declining approval ratings.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst and Gov. Kim Reynolds are retiring, creating open races for both offices. Republican Ashley Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek are competing for the Senate seat, while Republican Zach Lahn and Democrat Rob Sand are seeking the governorship.
Two competitive congressional districts could also help determine which party controls the House.
Turning Point said it hired four Iowa staff members last year and planned to double its workforce before the midterms. Its activists have since attended county fairs and Republican committee meetings while documenting their voter-contact efforts online.
Social activities supplement political outreach
At the state fair, Turning Point’s booth combined voter recruitment with the confrontational cultural messaging associated with Charlie Kirk’s campus appearances.
Visitors could also register for social clubs offering barbecues, volleyball games and other community activities. Organizers said those gatherings are intended to build relationships that could eventually lead participants to become politically active.
“Any involvement is success,” said Kelsey Newberry, an employee based at Turning Point’s Phoenix headquarters. “You’re bringing people together as a community. The more you talk to your neighbors, the better.”
“And even if they’re not ready to get activated now,” Newberry added, “being around like-minded people might encourage them in the future.”
The results of Iowa’s midterm contests may offer the first measurable indication of whether Turning Point’s expanding field operation can translate attention and community engagement into sustained political participation.
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