State Sen. Jim Carlin, a 58-year-old trial lawyer and Army veteran, was the first candidate of either party to officially jump into the race in February. Before the second debate, he pre-poured Grassley his cup of water. Iowa has closed primaries, which means that only registered Democrats or Republicans can participate in their partys primary. But the accusations draw a demarcation. In many ways Grassleys 1980 election was the perfect prologue for the current political climate. The two-term incumbent already faces several Republican challengers. In 2022, according to Iowa pollster Ann Selzer, Grassley is now polling at the lowest since the earliest days of his career when he had no name recognition. Here's a look at how federal races are shaping up. In response to some of the questions, Grassley explained the legislative process and the history of partisan fights. If he doesnt, the GOPs road to the majority gets that much harder. 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. Krause, who is president of the Veterans National Recovery Center, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Party's nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and 2016. Despite the fact that only 27% of Iowans wanted him to do it. He dismisses questions about his age or aptitude, either with a push-up challenge which makes doubters look silly or a defense of his record. Franken has framed himself as a candidate who can appeal to Republicans and Independents, but he took issue with the term "moderate" in an Iowa PBS debate. But the insurrection was just water under the bridge for Grassley as he smiled and turned to the microphone. Multiple Democrats have filed to run against Grassley, including former 1st District Rep. Abby Finkenauer, who lost her race for a second term in 2020 after flipping a GOP-held district in 2018. In her campaign for the US Senate, Finkenauer has pitched herself as a generational contrast to an 88-year-old Grassley who first won elected office in 1958. Whos running for governor and for Congress? Floridas wannabe autocrat and possible 2024 contender isnt Trump, but hes as dangerous to democracy. According to the Secretary of State's office, O'Leary did not submit the required paperwork and signatures to make it onto the ballot. I have voted for lower prescription drug prices already. Ryan Melton announced his campaign Jan. 31, citing a need to protect the nation's democracy. 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. Nunn represents Bondurant and has highlighted his Air Force career in campaign ads. 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. 1:49. Rep. Cindy Axne, 56, announced in November thatshe will seek reelection in the 3rd District. In the summer of 2021, there was chatter Grassley wouldnt run again. Mike Franken, a retired U.S. Navy Admiral, announced he would seek the Democratic nomination in October. I have voted for paid family leave. Three Democrats running for the U.S. Senate took aim at Republican Chuck Grassley during a forum Saturday in Des Moines, challenging the audience to weigh which candidate is best suited to take him on in November. Election Results: See Iowa primary election results across the state. The John Birch Society attacked Culver, and John Birchers donated to Grassleys campaign. three in four Iowans had not formed an opinion on DeJear, he will run for an eighth term in the U.S. Senate. 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. Bidens 39% approval rating imary winner might be more of a sacrificial lamb considering Bidens 39% approval ratings. 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 . Meanwhile, there is a set of Republicans vying to topple Democrat Cindy Axne in the 3rd Congressional District. Shes the most prominent Democrat to announce so far. Republican Nicole Hassoalso announced her candidacy in July. When he needed some water, he fumbled, and spilled on his pants. Former Iowa Rep. Mary Ann Hanusaannounced in April that she would seek Axnes seat, but her home in Pottawattamie County was drawn into the new 4th District. Heres where the race stands currently with just four months until Iowa holds its primary election on June 7. Iowa Starting Line is part of an independent news network and focuses on how state and national decisions impact Iowans daily lives. He fires off typo-riddled tweets that take on a life of their own, from the Beltway-famous assume deer dead to If u lost ur pet pidgin / its dead in front yard., Sometimes hell tell staff that I feel a tweet coming on.. To many, Grassley sounds like hes a candidate-in-waiting. Grassley defined himself as a conservative Republican in opposition to Ray. Trump endorsed Grassley for reelection at the event. but attended at least one Trump campaign event. Now, he wants someone who can stand up to the masses over false claims of stolen elections. he was talking to Iowans at the rally about the Biden administrations failures. Trump has changed the Republican Party in one important way, very significant: Hes brought energy to the partyand we want somebody with energy out there, we want somebody thats going to go out there, and thats just not Grassley, Richard Viguerie, a longtime conservative activist whose direct-mailing agency has been credited with conservatives big wins in the 1980s, tells me. Doctor and Minden city council member Glenn Hurst, a 51-year-old Democrat, announced on July 29 he would run for Grassleys seat. Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. The constitution [and] bill of rights guarantee a just and speedy trial.. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson formally announced her re-election plans Aug. 28 at her first annual "Ashley's BBQ Bash" fundraiser at the Linn County Fairgrounds. But still, a new poll suggests Republican voters are mostly in favor of Trump. Carlin served in the Iowa House for one year and for four years as an Iowa Senator. He spends his recesses schlepping around the state with a handful of aides in tow, traveling the 99 County tour he invented. I will condemn it. Iowans can register with a party or change their party affiliation through the Secretary of States website. She laughed and said, I think he kinda liked me.. He takes dozens of questions a day on topics ranging from inflation to the Supreme Court, and handles his interlocution deftly. WASHINGTON Former Iowa Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer is running for Senate, looking to win the seat currently held by longtime Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley in next year's midterms.. 1:49. 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. Grassleys push-ups are precarioushis arms barely bend, his movements are small and slow. The latestDes Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Pollfound a majority of Iowans 51% approve of Reynolds job performance. Franken is a Sioux Center native. 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. He said, "The reason I decided to run is the overall direction of things running away from freedom in our country right now. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. $4.8 million cash on hand at the beginning of the year. Hovelson has gotten a lot of mileage out of this story. If youre a Democrat in this state, you really need to create a movement.. Burgess Everett/POLITICO. Franken supports eliminating the filibuster and codifying abortion protections into federal law, and he wants to expand Medicaid. By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images. 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. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images). Chuck Grassley. But Grassleys longevity is no joke. He opposed a national health care system and food stamps for strikers, and criticized the Democrats for believing that somehow government [could] replace Christ., Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) (L) talks with ranking member Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) before the committee is set to vote on health care reform legislation on Capitol Hill October 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. But still, his grip on the conservative movement he helped build is precarious. It doesn't exist. Speaking out on it is the only thing we can do, he said, before briefly explaining the justice system and how its a separate branch of government. The 87-year-old does push-ups, too. But plenty of senators misspeak, and hes one of few willing to face questions extemporaneously for hours on end. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin. Or will it collapse around him? Primary election ballots are nearly set in Iowa, and races for Congress have begun in earnest. He thought he was going to be talking to a financial seminar, to economists and people like that.) In 1977, Grassley was the only member of the Iowa House delegation to vote against a congressional resolution sanctioning Rhodesia for being an aparthied state. I asked David Yepsen, former longtime political reporter for The Des Moines Register, why Grassley would conspicuously avoid distancing himself from associations with racism and antisemitism. The June 7 primary election will be the first test of a new set of political boundaries following Iowa's decennial redistricting process. He said he believes Grassley would have to debate him during a general election because of his record of service. Here's what to know. 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. UNI Prof Wants to Try New Model to Curb Gun Violence in Waterloo; https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings. I will outwork Chuck Grassley. Grassley, a man who has held elected office longer than most of his constituents have been alive, has a point to makehuffing and puffing on that stage, Grassley is proving that he wont let go of power. He told the Carroll Times Herald he doesn't believe either party is doing enough to support the American middle class and rural Iowa in particular. Bush, and Trump. Slight chance of a rain shower. But Grassley might not be ready to call it quits. But Grassleys future is certainly on Iowans minds. Grassley and his campaign have repeatedly said they had no knowledge of a plan to overturn the election.) Hanusa, 58,suspended her congressional campaignand will instead run against Democrat Rob Sand for State Auditor. Naval Academy, Postgraduate School- MS of Physics, Major civic activities: Special Olympics coach - 2017 - 2019, U.S. Navy 40 years, Defense department Wide Energy Efficiency Award. 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 says there were some irregularities in the 2020 election but Biden is the legitimate president. Some think theres little reason to believe 2022 would be much different. 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. Just 10% of respondents had a favorable view of her. 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. He portrays himself as vested in the future of struggling rural America as a fifth-generation farmer. 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.. The crowd at the Sioux Center rally on June 29, 2021, is silent. Congress is fast approaching the need to take action on the nation's statutory debt limit, often referred to as the debt ceiling. Required fields are marked *. State Auditor Rob Sand has expressed interest in the Senate race, but backed out of an interview in Des Moines the day before. His perceived independent streak began to backfire. OSSIAN, Iowa Chuck Grassley still gets up at 4 a.m. every day and often goes for a 2-mile run. Her father was a union pipefitter-welder, her mother a school secretary. Part of HuffPost Politics. Grassley went to school at the Iowa State Teachers College, now known as the University of Northern Iowa. Last week, Senator Grassley announced his campaign with a short video of him on an early morning run. Raised in a small town that had more cows than people, as she puts it, Abby Finkenauer was brought up in a working-class family that shaped her outlook on service and politics. Democratic candidates have lined up to challenge Reynolds, who was elected governor in 2018 . In frustration, one woman replied, Youve been in office too long, Vanity Fairs 2023 Hollywood Issue Welcomes You to the After-Party of Our Dreams, Inside the New Rights Next Frontier:The American West, The Strange, Sexually Charged Genesis of Gloria Swansons Legendary Memoir, King Charles Reportedly BeganEvicting Harry and MeghanAfterSpare, NetflixsMurdaugh Murders Team Say Theyve Uncovered New Crimes, Trumps Relationship With Jared and Ivanka Is About to Get a Lot More Awkward, The Cringey Sexcapades of a Horny Billionaire, What Is Cinema? God, I hate to give you an on-the-record comment on this, sighed Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. Hes the senator who held public hearings to criticize his partys own president about excessive military spending, and told Donald Trump off about his trade agenda. 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.. Grassley, who had previously condemned the actions of the January 6 insurrection, stumbled through an answer. Both Hinson and Mathis, 63, are former television journalists who were coworkers at a Cedar Rapids TV station. But she disagrees: As long as he can and will, I think he is able. Introduction. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.. On November 5, 2018, King tweeted a video of the senator saying, Iowa needs Steve King in Congress. The house had no electricity and no indoor plumbing. Democrat Mike Franken will challenge U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley in November. Even facing a candidate named Judge, Grassley won by 24 points. Just the opposite. She announced her campaign in July and was recently endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. You can contribute to us here. Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Grassleys hearings seemed to connect with the cash-poor Republican farmers and the Democrats who were sick of war. Hanusa ended her congressional campaign after redistricting changed the makeup of the district and instead mounted a race for state auditor. But sometime in 2009, the tables turned. Redistricting made things a little trickier for Iowas House races. Muhlbauer ended his campaign in November following the death of his nephew. In September, Democrat Joseph Kerner quietly entered the race and registered his campaign with the Federal Election Commission. Senator. The most senior GOP senator says hell deliberate until the fall. Yet there may be something of a Grassley exception for the states elections. And though he never seriously contemplated challenging Bidens win, he says his colleagues had every right to do so. Democrats tried to beat him in 2016 as he blocked a high court appointment. She was elected to serve in the 1st District, but she will seek reelection in 2022 in the 2nd District because of the way Iowa's redistricting process renumbered the congressional districts. Grassley, 88, announced in September thathe will run for an eighth term in the U.S. Senate. Up until then, Grassleys meetings had been more like lectures. 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.. 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. Iowans, with the sense of grievance only a flyover state can have, loved it. Kim Reynolds' and Sen. Chuck Grassley's reelection races to early Iowa caucus action. More: Iowa Sens. Former 1st District representative Abby Finkenauer,32, announced in July that she would challenge Grassley in 2022. She announced in early November after the Iowa Legislature finished its redistricting work. Muhlbauers candidacy marks a shift in strategy for Democrats, who havent won a statewide race in Iowa in almost two decades. Here's what to know. Charles Ernest Grassley (born September 17, 1933) is an American politician serving as the president pro tempore emeritus of the United States Senate, and the senior United States senator from Iowa, having held the seat since 1981. 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. Three Democrats running for the U.S. Senate took aim at Republican Chuck Grassley during a forum Saturday in Des Moines, challenging the audience to weigh . Grassley doesnt read the replies: 90 percent of them hate me. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. On January 26, 2022, Grassley stood before a small group of constituents at the VFW in Clarion, Iowa. But Finkenauers campaign faced an unexpected stumble in April when she nearly didnt make the primary ballot. Your email address will not be published. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley explained at a House hearing how high-profile Democrats, the FBI and the media portrayed legitimate Congressional oversight of Hunter Biden's business dealings as . And at least a few Democratic state legislators are running unopposed, so if thats what I have to focus on to feel a small amount of hope in November, so be it. Shaken and trying to recover, Culver lost his edge. Example video title will go here for this video, Q&A | Iowa's Forces of Nature: A Local 5 Severe Weather Special. Its in the city where you work. 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She launched her congressional campaign in July. He also called for adding a public insurance option to the Affordable Care Act. Not sure if youre registered to vote? 6 West Burlington. https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings If Grassley does seek reelection, Republicans and many Democrats concede the seat is essentially safe. In Grassleys biography, former aide Pete Conroy recalled how a simple farmer could make a Harvard man nervous. State Sen. Zach Nunn, 42, entered the race in July. I work with him every day. For a moment, there were stories about how close the Iowa U.S. Senate race had reportedly become, with Democrat Michael Franken within three points of incumbent Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley. She announced in November she would run for reelection in Iowa's 1st District. At 88 years old, Grassley is seeking an eighth term in the U.S. Senate. Nunn is a combat aviator and Intelligence Squadron Commander in the United States Air Force, and he has served on the White Houses National Security Council as Director of Cybersecurity. She is a law professor at the University of Iowa teaching constitutional law, torts and intellectual property. That was the message: He was fit. Grassley defeated Carlin. Hurst got more involved in local politics after Donald Trumps election in 2016, becoming a leader in the grassroots Indivisible movement. He was capable. I operate my family farm here in Iowa. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), whos sparred with Grassley for years, deemed him extraordinary. Thats all I can tell you., Fred and I hit a deer on hiway 136 south of Dyersville. And he will be fighting that war on two fronts. When you outlive the past, its easier to mold it into myth.The biography of Grassley written by Eric Woolson claims that the Grassley family avoided government assistance. He told reporters earlier this month that a decision about whether. And it has to be big. Glenn Hurst operates a private medical practice in Minden, where he sits on the city council. Associated Press writers David Pitt in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Grant Schulte in Council Bluffs, Iowa, contributed to this report. | Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images. Chuck really had him sweating.. After I pulled fender rubbing on tire we continued to farm. Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Iowa suddenly had political power. However,Trump endorsed Grassleyduring an October visit to Des Moines. Still, the episode turned off a number of veteran state Democratic activists, former candidates and officeholders, prompting some to give Franken a second look. Sex appeal, Grassley said. Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. 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. He also talks often about mental health care services and how the medical field should tie it in more with overall physical health. No Democrats have challenged first-term Rep. Randy Feenstra, 52. And many have. But even so, history is catching up with him. 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. 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. In 2022, he was reelected to his eighth Senate term, having first been elected in 1980.