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 . That was the message: He was fit. And after Trump-supporting rioters stormed the Capitol, Grassley voted to certify Bidens win. Smith, 33, has represented Waterloo in the Iowa House since 2017. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. 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. Forum for Iowa Democrats running to unseat Sen. Chuck Grassley - Yahoo! More: Chuck Grassley sails past Jim Carlin in Republican US Senate primary; moves on to run for 8th term. She served in the Iowa House for ten years and served as chair of the Economic Growth Committee. Redistricting made things a little trickier for Iowas House races. Dave Muhlbauer is the first Democrat to launch a campaign challenging the long-time incumbent Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley (IA) for one of Iowa's U.S. Senate seats in the 2022 midterm elections. Australian Annual Excess Deaths Due To The Vaccines Its too depressing. Yet he never deletes a tweet, no matter the misspellings or reading comprehension challenges. Grassley went to school at the Iowa State Teachers College, now known as the University of Northern Iowa. (Grassley reportedly spoke about gold to the groups Financial Survival Seminar, and his press secretary told The Des Moines Register at the time that Grassley had not intended when he accepted the invitation to jump into bed with some political group. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. 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. Chuck Grassley - Wikipedia 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. Chuck really had him sweating.. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.. The very right-wing political movement, the New Right, that helped give him his rise is now having a renaissance. 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. In his memoir, Obama describes Grassley as toying with the administration over possibly supporting the Affordable Care Act. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. Physically and mentally. UNI Prof Wants to Try New Model to Curb Gun Violence in Waterloo; https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings. Asked if he finds Trump personally responsible for the Capitol riot, he refers to a statement he put out on Jan. 6. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. The KKK cited Grassley, giving him an eight out of 10 for his voting record. Rep. Cindy Axne, 56, announced in November thatshe will seek reelection in the 3rd District. 47 years and counting: Chuck Grassley pursues eighth Senate election Bush, and Trump. Shilling said he had voted for Grassley until the early 2000s when he became disillusioned with him, particularly over what Shilling said was a lack of support for veterans. The 87-year-old does push-ups, too. Two more Democrats joined the race in October:Former Iowa Rep. Bob Krause, 71,andretired U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Franken, 64. Here's what to know. With just four months until the primary election, Iowa's congressional and governor races are starting to solidify. telling reporters he found it offensive to claim white supremacy. Franken has presented himself as someone who can bring a lot of rural voters back to the Democratic Party with his demeanor and military background. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. His shoulders slumped forward, his head leaned in, as he listened and answered questions. And he will be fighting that war on two fronts. After Culver wiped the floor with Grassley in the first debate, Ailes allegedly took matters into his own hands. His campaign touts a history of independence and bipartisanship, but his new campaign ads brag about opposing vaccine mandates, blocking Bidens agenda, and building a border wall. Here's a look at how federal races are shaping up. These are imperatives. Bob Krause announces Senate bid challenging Chuck Grassley 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. U.S. House incumbents also face fierce challengers in 2022, as Iowas redistricted map shakes up the races. Grassley was running against the incumbent Democrat John Culvera big, blond, Harvard-grad Iowa boy. But Grassley might not be ready to call it quits. Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. 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. 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. Primary election ballots are nearly set in Iowa, and races for Congress have begun in earnest. three in four Iowans had not formed an opinion on DeJear, he will run for an eighth term in the U.S. Senate. I have voted for paid family leave. Heres how. Hes the difference between whether this is a competitive race, or whether Chuck Grassley just wins again., Poll: Majority of Iowans do not want Grassley to seek reelection. Grassley and his campaign have repeatedly said they had no knowledge of a plan to overturn the election.) 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. Glenn Hurst operates a private medical practice in Minden, where he sits on the city council. Hurst cast himself as the prairie progressive who could reverse the losing streak, arguing Democrats should lean into their values and emphasize their differences with Republicans. He knows more about Iowa than, I would guarantee, anybody in Iowa, said his junior Hawkeye State GOP senator, Joni Ernst. Assume deer dead, Grassley always looks the part: Rimless glasses, elephant ties and sometimes his signature sweater vests. Bills, Bills, Bills: What Legislation Survived Funnel Week In Iowa? Krause ended his campaign after he was unable to gather the necessary number of signatures to make the ballot. 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. Mitt Romney calls New Yorks Santos a sick puppy. Lauren Boebert appears to distance herself from Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kevin McCarthy tries very hard to keep his party civil. God will take care of tomorrow.. 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. 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. Raw electoral politics aside, theres a more delicate topic. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texasendorsed Hassoon Aug. 12. His unconventional moves aside, Grassleys a political pro, toeing the line between establishment Republicans and Trump-era hardliners. 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. but attended at least one Trump campaign event. Former 1st District representative Abby Finkenauer, outraised Grassley in the third quarter of 2021, Dave Muhlbauer, a 37-year-old farmer and a former Crawford County supervisor, Doctor and Minden city council member Glenn Hurst, move into the 1st District and run for reelection there, she will seek reelection in the 3rd District, Pella native prepares to run Iditarod for third time, Putin can win only if Josh Hawley-esque isolationists multiply, City of Pella asks $5 million from Pella Schools for new indoor rec center, Oskaloosas VanWyk claims individual state bowling title, Marion County students learn about pork, tractor safety at Ag Day, State politicians discuss taxes, emergency services, Rockets to state, top Hudson 71-65 in three overtimes, Eagles state bound after knocking off No. Hed tell people what he was doing and theyd listen. Reynolds, Please Let Iowas Kids Be Kids, 6 Iowa-Made Products, From Hot Sauce to Popcorn, Foodies Have to Try, Sponsor Of Iowa GOP Bills To Ban Gay Marriage Says Thats Not What The Bills Are About, Leaked Texts Reveal: Fox News Knew They Were Spreading Lies and Conspiracies About 2020 Election, Transamerica Cuts Jobs In Cedar Rapids, Buys Back $200M In Stocks, Business Owner: Reynolds Unemployment Cuts Hurt Concrete Workers, 20 House Republicans Sign Bill To Ban Nearly All Abortion In Iowa, The Stories Behind 6 of Iowas Coolest Bridges, Trans Iowan To Republican Lawmakers: You Truly Hate Us, Key Moments From Iowa Democrats US Senate Debate. Sun and clouds mixed. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Before the second debate, he pre-poured Grassley his cup of water. Ernst tweeted a condemnation of Kings comments, and Grassley, more tepid, did as well, telling reporters he found it offensive to claim white supremacy. Yet there may be something of a Grassley exception for the states elections. Slight chance of a rain shower. and instead mounted a race for state auditor. Iowa Democrat Franken Wins Primary To Face Grassley In - HuffPost He said Pat Grassley is not interested in being a senator and encouraged Chuck to run again. micropolitan guy, Mar 21, 2022 Seven-term Republican Chuck Grassley was re-elected in 2016 with 60.1% of the vote. After he listened to a constituent talk about limiting paper waste on Medicare forms, Grassley said hes never thought of it but will take it back as a Grassley suggestion.. LOCAL 5 FORECAST: Enjoy a relatively mild weekend before Sign up for Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter, Republican 2024 contenders plan trips to early nominating states, DOJ: Iowa has a pattern of endangering Glenwood Resource Center residents, Iowans dismiss partisan politics, back Vilsack as next USDA leader. Whos running for governor and for Congress? Rep. Cindy Axne, another potential Democratic Senate candidate, declined an interview request. See Iowa primary election results across the state, Mike Franken wins Democratic US Senate primary; to take on Chuck Grassley in November, Chuck Grassley sails past Jim Carlin in Republican US Senate primary; moves on to run for 8th term, See Polk County election results as vote counts come in, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy, Education: Morningside University, Biochemistry; University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Engineering, Civil Engineer and Finance; U.S. He announced his run in July. In the Iowa House, she fought against legislation weakening workers rights; in Congress, she passed legislation helping small businesses, and focused on child care issues, rural health care, and the safety of packing plant workers. Joyce Mahl of Council Bluffs in western Iowa said she voted for Franken because she was unsure Iowans would vote for a Democratic woman in the general election, though Iowa has elected Democratic women, including Finkenauer, to Congress. 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. Republican activists claimed she hadnt gathered enough signatures from enough counties. Those early days created a rough draft of who hed become as a senatorgruff, hard-working, relentless, frugal. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne will seek reelection in the 3rd District, which includes Des Moines and Council Bluffs in the state's southwest corner. Mike Franken brings an extensive resume to the campaign, having spent nearly four decades in a world-spanning military career that included him rising to the rank of a three-star admiral, working in the Pentagon and serving as a senior military official in Africa. His perceived independent streak began to backfire. 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. I have voted for the DREAM Act. Another story Hovelson tells is that Chuck once told him, Youre going to laugh at me, but Id really like to be president of the United States. Hovelson did laugh at the time. Kim Reynolds and Sen. Chuck Grassley are up for reelection in 2022, although Reynolds has not officially announced her bid. Trump endorsed Grassley for reelection at the event. Mike Franken, a retired U.S. Navy Admiral, announced he would seek the Democratic nomination in October. Her campaign also reported a deep war chest coming into 2022, with$4.8 million cash on hand at the beginning of the year. The governor, Robert Ray, was a Republican, but he was against the death penalty, and his legacy in the state would eventually be his role in opening Iowas borders to refugees. 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.. Still, the episode turned off a number of veteran state Democratic activists, former candidates and officeholders, prompting some to give Franken a second look. to officially jump into the race in February, his recent vote on a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, announced plans to seek reelection to the 2nd District, She announced in November she would run for reelection in Iowa's 1st District, She launched her congressional campaign in July, formally announced her re-election plans Aug. 28, Axne was considering a run for governor in 2022, was the first Republican to enter the 3rd District race. And Grassley won the primary and the general. Its tempting to underestimate Grassley. She is a retired community engagement director at a Cedar Rapids-based child advocacy nonprofit. But even so, history is catching up with him. Hes pitching a universal health care system, while also pledging to bring down prescription drug costs. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra is running for reelection. But hes also the senator who helped block Merrick Garland, Obamas Supreme Court nomination, because it was an election year, then turned around and helped push through Trumps Supreme Court nominee in another election year. The Johnston resident released a campaign video that emphasizes her opposition as a Black woman to Critical Race Theory. In September, Democrat Joseph Kerner quietly entered the race and registered his campaign with the Federal Election Commission. He spends his recesses schlepping around the state with a handful of aides in tow, traveling the 99 County tour he invented. The National Conservative Political Action Committee sent mailers claiming Culver had helped Senator Ted Kennedy concoct [a] fallacy-ridden story about the Chappaquiddick bridge incident. A Des Moines Register poll in March showed many Iowans dont want Grassley to run again. 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. I mean, we're lucky to have candidates that are concerned about working for the people instead of the party, he said. During a day of 5 stops and about 300 miles of driving, he was asked just once about his reelection. But life began for Franken in a small town in deeply-conservative Northwest Iowa, where he was one of nine children. I didnt eat the Chinese stuff; Im an American. (The restaurant is now the site of Fongs Pizza, a regionally famous Chinese-American fusion pizza parlor, renowned for its crab rangoon pizza. Kim Reynolds' and Sen. Chuck Grassley's reelection races to early Iowa caucus action. 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. She began her campaign with a big focus on protecting democracy, criticizing Grassley for not doing more in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection.