Grassley will also face a Republican primary challenge from stateSen. Jim Carlin, R-Sioux City. When I ask Jim Hovelson, 89, Grassleys childhood friend and one of the few people around who remembers him as a boy, who Chuck Grassley is, he laughs and tells me a parable. I'm running on Democratic principles and Democratic priorities: health care for all, access to immigration into this country, setting rules reform and a woman's right to control her own body, he said. Retired Navy Adm. Mike Franken campaigned on his 40 years of experience in the military and in Washington D.C. Answers provided by the candidate. 3 Democrats are vying to take on Chuck Grassley; 3 Republicans want to State Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa, a Council Bluffs native, was the first Republican to enter the 3rd District race. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is seen in the U.S. Capitol after the senate luncheons on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. It comes as the primary election season begins to heat up. If Grassley was toying with supporting the legislation, that idea met an early death, due to, as Yepsen argues, the backlash Grassley received from critics back home. Hurst has positioned himself as the most progressive in the Democratic primary, and as such, he argues, the most electable of the group. In a state thats looking increasingly red, and in an election cycle where Republicans are expected to sweep, Grassley is favored to win; even though his disapproval numbers have climbed over the years, he remains slightly more popular than not. candidate Glenn Hurst, a city council member and doctor from Minden. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks originally announced plans to seek reelection to the 2nd District in September, but Iowa's redistricting process shifted the district boundaries, and she had to decide where to run in 2022. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. And though he never seriously contemplated challenging Bidens win, he says his colleagues had every right to do so. Right now, Rep. Ashley Hinson represents Iowas 1st District, but she will reside in and run for the 2nd District in 2022. Im a tough target for the GOP, he said. There are rumors that Grassley wants to elevate his grandson, statehouse Speaker Pat Grassley, into the Senate. The June 7 primary election will be the first test of a new set of political boundaries following Iowa's decennial redistricting process. Hurst speaks extensively on the campaign trail about how universal health care can revitalize rural Iowa, and how his plan would save small-town clinics and rural hospitals, vastly bring down overall costs, and expand services covered for patients. Sen. Joni Ernst, 51, will not be up for reelection until 2026. Who is Dave Muhlbauer? Meet the Democrat running against Grassley Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) has not tipped her hand about which way she will vote on the groundbreaking legislation but some believe she may be the only Republican to vote for the bill. He said that Trumps presidency started off difficult for him, but seeing his success later on, I think that Id have to say that I misjudged.. U.S. Reps. Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Randy Feenstra all Republicans are seeking reelection. Miller-Meeks, 66, faces two challengers in the 1st District. Its tempting to underestimate Grassley. No whispered questions about acuity follow him, the way they have Feinstein or the late Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). Grassleys win was an early tremor preceding the earthquake of the 1980 election. Grassley, from New Hartford in northern Iowa, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980 after serving three terms in the U.S. House. Gary Leffler, a Republican activist from West Des Moines, has filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, but he has not yet filed financial reports. And how can I say this in a way that wont get me in some kind of horrifying trouble? I reminded Conlin that these days, as one of the most powerful lawyers in the state, shes the one causing trouble. Before the second debate, he pre-poured Grassley his cup of water. This is Franken's second Senate campaign. The room was filled with older white Iowans in sweatshirts and sneakers. More: Chuck Grassley sails past Jim Carlin in Republican US Senate primary; moves on to run for 8th term. 1:49. He also talks often about mental health care services and how the medical field should tie it in more with overall physical health. State Auditor Rob Sand has expressed interest in the Senate race, but backed out of an interview in Des Moines the day before. Finkenauer first ran for the Iowa House at age 24, serving two terms as she represented part of Dubuque. Finkenauer is a former state representative who was . Krause also ran in 2016, but finished third in the Democratic primary behind Patty Judge and Rob Hogg. The South Carolina senator is reportedly making moves to launch a White House bid, joining an already crowded list of potential candidatesa scenario Donald Trumps team is likely very giddy about. Ernst tweeted a condemnation of Kings comments, and Grassley, more tepid, did as well, telling reporters he found it offensive to claim white supremacy. A total of 15 senators - including 76-year-old Ed Markey, 89-year-olds Chuck Grassley and Dianne Feinstein, 81-year-old Bernie Sanders, 80-year-old Mitch McConnell, 78-year-old Angus King of . He will hold on to it with every frail and wobbly ounce of his strength. He announced his run in July. He ran as a Libertarian in Iowa's 3rd District in 2020, finishing with 3.4% of the vote against Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne and Republican David Young. She served in the Iowa House for ten years and served as chair of the Economic Growth Committee. At 88 years old, Grassley is seeking an eighth term in the U.S. Senate. Iowans, with the sense of grievance only a flyover state can have, loved it. Franken would go on to be the first commanding officer on the USS Winston S. Churchill, command a destroyer squadron, serve in Sen. Ted Kennedys office and the Pentagon, and was the deputy director of military operations for US Africa Command, among other roles. Shaken and trying to recover, Culver lost his edge. Bills, Bills, Bills: What Legislation Survived Funnel Week In Iowa? In the summer of 2021, there was chatter Grassley wouldnt run again. Gary Leffler, a Republican activistbest known for his patriotic tractor, has also filed with the Federal Election Commission to challenge Axne. In 2018, after multiple media outlets reported on Kings racist comments, he lost the support of the National Republican Congressional Committee, corporate sponsorships, and the endorsement of his hometown paper, but he still had Grassleys support. When pressed by a CNN reporter about why he accepted the endorsement, given the former presidents comments calling Bidens election an insurrection, Grassley got defensive, saying that he didnt think the question was appropriate and telling the reporter that he was talking to Iowans at the rally about the Biden administrations failures. More: Republican state Sen. Jim Carlin launches U.S. Senate bid, will run in a primary against Chuck Grassley if He has. A censure by the Republican Party of Texas would underline how the two-term congressman's willingness to break with conservatives on key issues during his short time in . He supported Trumps agenda in Congress about 88% of the time, but occasionally showed his frustrationsparticularly when it came to Trumps trade agenda. In many ways Grassleys 1980 election was the perfect prologue for the current political climate. These are things that contrast us to Chuck Grassley, and when we put forward a kind of candidate like that, that's when Iowa will thrive.. Charles Ernest Grassley was going to run again. A rural family practice doctor, Glenn Hurst is the only doctor in his small town and has seen up-close how the health care system and costs have made life difficult for rural Iowans. You have permission to edit this article. I have voted for rural infrastructure. Krause ended his campaign after he was unable to gather the necessary number of signatures to make the ballot. Krause's team said in a press release he will work to defend American democracy after . But that isnt happening, according to the senator and his allies. Its time for us to run a candidate against Chuck Grassley that can win, said candidate Glenn Hurst, a city council member and doctor from Minden. Ailes would go on to run Fox News and have an outsize influence on conservative politics as an operative and media executive, helping elect the likes of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Democratic candidates have lined up to challenge Reynolds, who was elected governor in 2018 . But plenty of senators misspeak, and hes one of few willing to face questions extemporaneously for hours on end. The radical anti-abortion group Iowa Pro-Life Action Council distributed fliers with the image of an 18-week-old thumb-sucking fetus, telling Iowans to vote for Grassley otherwise that baby might not live. Democratic candidates have lined up to challenge Reynolds, who was elected governor in 2018, and Grassley, who was first elected to the Senate in 1980. His unconventional moves aside, Grassleys a political pro, toeing the line between establishment Republicans and Trump-era hardliners. Hometown: Minden, Iowa (Pottawattamie County). I also need Steve King in Congress. In 2019, after The New York Times published an article documenting Kings racism, King was stripped of his committee assignments. But Ill vote and hope for the best. You heard me yelling at those kids.. Whatever else he is, hes a member of the political gerontocracy. These are imperatives. The Debt Ceiling in 2023: An In-Depth Analysis of Government Debt Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Bush, and Trump. His perceived independent streak began to backfire. George Santos Shouldnt Be There: Republican Infighting Spills Over at Joe Bidens State of the Union. The cultural shift that had begun after the 1973 ruling on Roe v. Wade seemed to help Grassley in the heavily Catholic areas of the state. Grassley doesnt read the replies: 90 percent of them hate me. Get ready for upcoming elections by registering to vote and marking your calendar for Election Day. Born on a military base in Germany, his family later moved to the Midwest and Hurst would attend medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Some think theres little reason to believe 2022 would be much different. God will take care of tomorrow.. Slight chance of a rain shower. If he retires, they'll have a battle on their hands. The men hug. After I pulled fender rubbing on tire we continued to farm. Both Gov. Also, The Des Moines Register reported that in 1979, as a member of Congress, Grassley had given a speech to the Liberty Lobby, whose founder asserted antisemitic conspiracy theories and campaigned to persuade Black Americans to go to Africa. | Mark Hollander, 47, a marketing professional from West Des Moines said he voted for Abby Finkenauer in part because of her background in Congress, but also because she represents a new generation. Grassley, 88, announced in September thathe will run for an eighth term in the U.S. Senate. Grassley defined himself as a conservative Republican in opposition to Ray. Chuck Grassley - Wikipedia It could be the ticket to an eighth term in the Senate and change the midterm landscape. Floridas wannabe autocrat and possible 2024 contender isnt Trump, but hes as dangerous to democracy. I was born at night, but not last night, the 88-year-old senator said, adding that he wouldnt be too smart if he didnt accept the support of someone who had a 91% approval rating among Republicans in Iowa. Ernst, Grassley vote 'no' as Judge Jackson is confirmed to the US Supreme Court, Abby Finkenauer, a former U.S. congresswoman and state legislator, 3 Democrats are vying to take on Chuck Grassley; 3 Republicans want to oust Cindy Axne, Mike Franken, a retired U.S. Navy admiral. Abby Finkenauer, Chuck Grassley's top Democratic challenger, knocked Asked about that recent viral tweet about Fox News Channels news ticker, Grassley replied: Im disgusted! Hes now watching CNN but hopes Fox notices his demand. In 2022, he was reelected to his eighth Senate term, having first been elected in 1980. He was the middle child of five. The very right-wing political movement, the New Right, that helped give him his rise is now having a renaissance. He portrays himself as vested in the future of struggling rural America as a fifth-generation farmer. who is running against chuck grassley 2022 - Lindon CPA's And when riled-up cattlemen in Monticello guffawed at his proposal to fine bad-acting meatpacking executives rather than jail them, Grassley absorbed the jeers, then said he might toughen up his own legislation. In recent months, Finkenauer has emphasized her commitment to term limits to prevent politicians from serving such long stretches of time, and has said shell limit herself to two Senate terms if successful. He published a campaign video in May that touted his familys history in politics: both his father and grandfather served as Democrats in the Iowa House. But still, a new poll suggests Republican voters are mostly in favor of Trump. Those early days created a rough draft of who hed become as a senatorgruff, hard-working, relentless, frugal. Required fields are marked *. $4.8 million cash on hand at the beginning of the year. Hed tell people what he was doing and theyd listen. Hurst pitches himself as a Tom Harkin-like prairie progressive, one who can best harness the anger and frustration of Iowans who feel left behind in a broken economy. He says there were some irregularities in the 2020 election but Biden is the legitimate president. She also opened up about her personal diagnosis with endometriosis and pushed for increased research funding on it. Grassley was running against the incumbent Democrat John Culvera big, blond, Harvard-grad Iowa boy. I have voted for the DREAM Act. You want me to do 35 for you? he responded when asked about his regimen as he waited for a burger at Bambinos, a haunt in this town of about 800 people. Hanusa ended her congressional campaign after redistricting changed the makeup of the district and instead mounted a race for state auditor. telling reporters he found it offensive to claim white supremacy. Who is Mike Franken, the Democrat running against Chuck Grassley for a Forum for Iowa Democrats running to unseat Sen. Chuck Grassley - Yahoo! In November 2022, my colleague streiff reported on an investigation conducted by Senators Chuck Grassley and Josh Hawley, which revealed that this same Disinformation Governance Board that DHS . But by last fall, Grassley put the rumors to rest, releasing a video of himself running at dawn. Franken will nonetheless face stiff headwinds going into the general election against Grassley, who has served seven terms. Hes tight-lipped about the checkered legacy of former President Donald Trump, whom he has spoken with twice since Trump left office. State Rep. Christina Bohannan, a Democrat and University of Iowa law professor, announced her candidacy in August. Melton works in a leadership role at Nationwide Insurance and lives in Nevada, Iowa. James Tackett Klein, a Republican from Winnebago County, who served two terms in the Iowa House, from 1969 to 1971, told me that Grassley didnt go out after the sessionshe worked. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. If he wins reelection in November, Iowas longest-serving senator would be 95 years old by the end of another term. But Grassley might not be ready to call it quits. A Des Moines Register poll in March showed many Iowans dont want Grassley to run again. I'm running for U.S. Senate to fight for working people.We can defeat Chuck Grassley - but I need your help. The senator, who is the second oldest in the Senate, had already endured COVID; by the end of another term hed be 95 years old. State Sen. Zach Nunn, 42, entered the race in July. Finkenauer has highlighted her past support for expanded voting rights legislation and has warned about the influence of misinformation on social media and how its undermining democracy. Here's what to know. Franken will talk on the campaign trail about his foreign policy background, including how he was the only vote against the Iraq War at a military council in 2002 and that he resigned after Donald Trump was elected. I dont think he wanted to be considered blatantly sexist, though I believe that he was. I know for a fact that is not true, said state Rep. Lee Hein, a Republican close to Pat Grassley. Hes one of three 87-year-olds in the Senate and the second-eldest overall: Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) won reelection in 2018 while Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) is retiring next year. The general election will take place on Nov. 8, 2022. On June 1, at a town hall in Columbus Junction, Grassley was questioned by constituents who wanted to know what he was going to do about guns and the filibuster. They say some of her signatures are invalid and should disqualify her from competing. As of February, Democrats have just one challenger to Reynolds:Deidre DeJear, a 35-year-old Democratic activist and former candidate for secretary of state. Its a difficult dance. But the insurrection was just water under the bridge for Grassley as he smiled and turned to the microphone. Her campaign also reported a deep war chest coming into 2022, with$4.8 million cash on hand at the beginning of the year. Multiple Democrats have lined up to challenge Grassley. Or if you are a conservative, he is a symbol of the old guard of the GOP that wont step down for the new right wing. In 1980, Roger Ailes, then a political consultant, came to Iowa to test out a theory on Grassleys campaign for Senate. Now lives in Cedar Rapids. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Democrat Mike Franken, a retired Navy admiral, will face Republican Chuck Grassley in the race for an Iowa U.S. Senate seat, winning his party nomination Tuesday over two competitors. Mahls top priority is a candidate she views as stronger against Grassley. She spoke to the Iowa Capital Dispatch on Aug. 20about her campaign priorities and the future of the Democratic party in Iowa. Franken beat former congresswoman Abby Finkenauer and physician Glenn Hurst and earned the right to run against Grassley, who is seeking an eighth Senate term and beat back a nominal primary challenge of his own on Tuesday. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images). Meet The Democrats Running To Challenge Chuck Grassley Read the full Q&A with Franken here. The rise of the Moral Majority, the Jerry Falwellbacked political action group pushing a conservative religious agenda, had given Grassleys election heavenly stakes. The former president has been politically weakened, with reports of former Trump allies looking to Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and other Republican hopefuls to take the reins. Even facing a candidate named Judge, Grassley won by 24 points. After all, it was the wave of conservative sentiment in the 1980s that brought Grassley to power. After Culver wiped the floor with Grassley in the first debate, Ailes allegedly took. But a Grassley spokesperson noted, Like most small- and medium-size family farmers who must contend with mother nature and fluctuating input and commodity prices, the Grassley farm has from time to time utilized government-supported programs when necessary.. Hurst also took on leadership roles in the Iowa Democratic Partys Rural Caucus and the 3rd Congressional District committee, and he spoke out locally when a militia group gathered in Council Bluffs in response to baseless rumors of racial justice riots.. Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. An Iowa judge is weighing that question and could issue an opinion in the coming days, though the losing party is expected to appeal the issue to the Iowa Supreme Court. He said he believes Grassley would have to debate him during a general election because of his record of service. He was capable. Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty Throws His Support Behind Senator Bryan Jack Holder, a Council Bluffs resident and Libertarian candidate, submitted paperwork to run in Iowa's 4th District. Democrat and former representative Abby Finkenauer was next with $559,466.82. In 2021, a Selzer poll showed that the majority of Iowans, including a third of Republicans, hoped Grassley would not seek reelection. Grassleys hearings seemed to connect with the cash-poor Republican farmers and the Democrats who were sick of war. Low around 30F. She won the seat in 2020 after successfully primarying a veteran Democrat in the district. Senate's Chuck Grassley, 88, to Run Again, Buoying GOP's Hopes in 2022 Decision by 88-year-old could aid GOP bid to retake majority Battle for Senate has huge stakes for Biden given 50-50 split The room was small, with vinyl tile flooring, wood paneling, and homemade curtains. Who's running for governor and for Congress? - oskaloosa.com Incumbent U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra is running for reelection. It stands to reason, but he wouldve been courting the most conservative elements of the party in a battle against [Republican primary candidate] Tom Stoner and the moderate elements of the party, said Yepsen. I was impressed with all three of them, really, said Kevin Shilling, a 68-year-old Greenfield resident who attended the event. In that vein, Grassley seems to unintentionally charm even his political opponents despite being the Senates chief curmudgeon. Check online at sos.iowa.gov. As the former head of the judiciary during the first two years of the Trump administration, hes one of the reasons Roe is poised to be overturned. Republican U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas was facing a rare potential censure Saturday by his state party over votes that included supporting new gun safety laws after the Uvalde school shooting that was in his district. If youre a Democrat in this state, you really need to create a movement.. The tenuous legal battle ahead poses a blow to national Democrats who have championed Mrs. Finkenauer as their preferred candidate to run against Mr. Grassley, who is seeking an eighth consecutive . He is the former vice chair of the Crawford County Board of Supervisors, and he framed his announcement around rescuing rural Iowa. Listen, theres nothing I see thats going to keep me from serving another six years if I decide to do it, he says during a swing through northeast Iowa as part of his annual 99 County Tour. She announced in early November after the Iowa Legislature finished its redistricting work. Mike Franken celebrates US Senate primary win, to face Chuck Grassley, Mike Franken, retired Navy admiral from Sioux City, speaks to Des Moines crowd after winning the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Iowa 2022 primary election race results from June 7. Im sorry., I dont consider myself a charming person, he said afterward. At count 22, Cotton stands up and helps pull Grassley, then 87 years old, to his feet. Mike Franken, a retired U.S. Navy admiral, highlighted his military record throughout the forum and said his background neutralizes many Republican talking points about Democrats. Incumbent Reynolds, 62, has not officially announced her reelection plans, but she has a strong standing in the state. Grassley, who will be 89 years old in 2022, has filed a statement of candidacy for the 2022 election, making him eligible to run for an eighth term. He is the best path we have to keep the seat in Republican hands and take it off the map., Sen. Chuck Grassley talks to law enforcement officials at an event in West Union, Iowa, on May 4, 2021. Congress is fast approaching the need to take action on the nation's statutory debt limit, often referred to as the debt ceiling. He said, "The reason I decided to run is the overall direction of things running away from freedom in our country right now. I have voted for paid family leave. The Republican Donor Class Seems Ready to Dump Trump. Abby Finkenauer in July became the first major Democrat to announce a 2022 run for the U.S. Senate seat long held by Republican Chuck Grassley. micropolitan guy, Mar 21, 2022 Seven-term Republican Chuck Grassley was re-elected in 2016 with 60.1% of the vote. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Yet there may be something of a Grassley exception for the states elections. With just four months until the primary election, Iowa's congressional and governor races are starting to solidify. Behind Grassley was a painting of a soldier with a sunset behind him. Then Jankowicz decided to rebrand her disinformation show and take it on the road, registering as a foreign agent in the United Kingdom to help the British government with their disinformation issues.. Mmmkay. Iowa Republican announces Senate bid with Grassley's 2022 - The Hill Its not to intimidate you. Speaking to a high school class in the nearby town of Elkader, he got worked up about rising tuition: Am I yelling? But even so, history is catching up with him. Even after catching the virus he still ran most mornings, in typical Grassley fashion. has been credited with conservatives big wins in the 1980s. ), who led Democrats campaign arm in 2016. Grassleys primary challenger, Carlin, has repeated these claims and accused Grassley of not doing enough to overturn the election results. He questioned Reagans military spending and pushed for hearings on unfettered defense budgets. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost.