More: Chuck Grassley sails past Jim Carlin in Republican US Senate primary; moves on to run for 8th term. The rise of the Moral Majority, the Jerry Falwellbacked political action group pushing a conservative religious agenda, had given Grassleys election heavenly stakes. While he wants Iowas famous first-in-the-nation presidential caucus to be wide open in 2024, he doesnt say his party should move on from Trump: If he runs in 2024, nobody can do anything about that.. I feel that Grassley has not been especially effective in the last decade-plus and has turned more obstructionist at this point.. Register to vote online, or download a form to print and return to your county auditor. Kuehl ended his campaign in March, as a state panel upheld a challenge alleging he failed to qualify for the ballot. 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. 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. Democratic candidates have lined up to challenge Reynolds, who was elected governor in 2018 . He has worked on the staff of U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, and at the U.S. Department of Defense, and he has served as the chief of legislative affairs for the Navy. 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. has been credited with conservatives big wins in the 1980s. Sen. Joni Ernst, 51, will not be up for reelection until 2026. According to the Quad City Times, he owns and operates FSBO Homes Quad Cities and launched Code Ninjas Quad Cities. 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. Figure 2 If you shift the vaccination curve by 6 months, it seems to align well with the death spikes. It's laughable. Or will it collapse around him? He spends his recesses schlepping around the state with a handful of aides in tow, traveling the 99 County tour he invented. 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. More: Who's running for Iowa governor in 2022? She launched her congressional campaign in July. He was the middle child of five. Still, most of his focus is on domestic issues. Example video title will go here for this video, Q&A | Iowa's Forces of Nature: A Local 5 Severe Weather Special. 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 . Primary election ballots are nearly set in Iowa, and races for Congress have begun in earnest. In his campaign, Franken emphasized a need to dial down the political tension in Washington. You have permission to edit this article. It's an election year: Look for no shortage of news from Gov. Franken is a Sioux Center native. And Democrats choice for their top-of-ticket nominee will signal where the party is headed in Iowa and what issues they think will resonate with Iowans. 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. 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. Once, during one of the lessons, the minister asked, Well, boys, what is it you like about girls?. But even so, history is catching up with him. The most senior GOP senator says hell deliberate until the fall. Mike Franken beat former congresswoman Abby Finkenauer, who was widely expected to win the Democratic nomination. He hasnt announced, but I think hes going to run, advised National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Rick Scott (R-Fla.). Smith, 33, has represented Waterloo in the Iowa House since 2017. We rely on your financial support to keep our stories free for all to read. However,Trump endorsed Grassleyduring an October visit to Des Moines. I'm a problem. She is a teacher and currently works for a nonprofit in Council Bluffs that provides care for children with mental and behavioral health needs. Democrat Mike Franken will challenge U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley in November. 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. 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. Krause ended his campaign after he was unable to gather the necessary number of signatures to make the ballot. Grassleys primary challenger, Carlin, has repeated these claims and accused Grassley of not doing enough to overturn the election results. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. The room was small, with vinyl tile flooring, wood paneling, and homemade curtains. It doesn't exist. he remains slightly more popular than not, would be really wrong for me to say I have my mind made up, have repeatedly said they had no knowledge of a plan to overturn the election, will be the most senior member of the Senate, King tweeted a video of the senator saying. It was Barack Obama who described Grassley as having a hangdog face and throaty midwestern drawl. Grassley himself leans into this image with his cranky, barely readable tweets about the History Channel, or u kno what at Dairy Queen. She grew up on the South Side of Chicago, earned an academic scholarship to Drake University and works now in financial services. Hinson, 38, will run in the 2nd District in 2022. The . Franken returned to Iowa to run in the 2020 US Senate primary, where he came in second place. Honestly, Chuck, youre an Iowan, for Gods sakes! And after Trump-supporting rioters stormed the Capitol, Grassley voted to certify Bidens win. In many ways Grassleys 1980 election was the perfect prologue for the current political climate. If you want Grassley out, youve got to vote for the one that you think can beat him, Mahl, 66, said after voting at a downtown Council Bluffs church. He will hold on to it with every frail and wobbly ounce of his strength. (At the time, Grassleys team clarified the senator was mistaken, and that there was every indication Pence would presidethat the Iowa senator was merely explaining the Senates procedure if the vice president had to step away. On June 7, he won his Republican primary for another term, beating out Iowa state senator Jim Carlin, and positioning him to face off against Democrat Michael Franken, a retired Navy admiral, in November. She leaned on her record in Congress and said it demonstrates the kind of policies and resolve that will help Democrats defeat Grassley. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. In response to some of the questions, Grassley explained the legislative process and the history of partisan fights. The June 7 primary election will be the first test of a new set of political boundaries following Iowa's decennial redistricting process. 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 still, his grip on the conservative movement he helped build is precarious. Iowa has closed primaries, which means that only registered Democrats or Republicans can participate in their partys primary. two typical cognitive shortcuts we use when evaluating others; how to close off a room with an arched doorway; yuma mayor political party; ochsner employee compliance line number Now, he wants someone who can stand up to the masses over false claims of stolen elections. 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. Any Republican could retire and be proud of that kind of career. I just work from day to day. 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. The room was filled with older white Iowans in sweatshirts and sneakers. Regardless of which of the three wins the nomination they are in for a very uphill campaign. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. Charles Ernest Grassley was going to run again. Still, Trumps popularity in Iowa complicated Grassleys vaunted independent streak. He also talks often about mental health care services and how the medical field should tie it in more with overall physical health. Doctor and Minden city council member Glenn Hurst, a 51-year-old Democrat, announced on July 29 he would run for Grassleys seat. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has revealed the extent of potential criminal evidence against Hunter Biden that has been shared with Congress. If he wins in 2022, he will be 95 years old at the conclusion of that term. Retired Navy Adm. Mike Franken campaigned on his 40 years of experience in the military and in Washington D.C. State Rep. Christina Bohannan, a Democrat and University of Iowa law professor, announced her candidacy in August. So there he was one moment, onstage, eagerly grinning, accepting Trumps endorsement, then later scowling when asked questions about it. So by 1980, Iowa was suddenly a fertile ground for corn and politics, a place where no-name politicians could come to the state and grab a good headline by smiling and chomping a few hot dogs at the state fair. Chuck Grassley is doing push-ups onstage with Tom Cotton while Joni Ernst counts into the microphone. Rep. Cindy Axne, 56, announced in November thatshe will seek reelection in the 3rd District. Senators in both parties say Grassley is sharp as a ginsu knife and his health appears impeccable. 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. And he will be fighting that war on two fronts. With just four months until the primary election, Iowa's congressional and governor races are starting to solidify. Two more Democrats joined the race in October:Former Iowa Rep. Bob Krause, 71,andretired U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Franken, 64. After Culver wiped the floor with Grassley in the first debate, Ailes allegedly took matters into his own hands. According to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, Grassley's war chest held $4,320,715.95 as of May 18. The Johnston resident released a campaign video that emphasizes her opposition as a Black woman to Critical Race Theory. DeJear also trails Reynolds in name recognition: A September Iowa poll found thatthree in four Iowans had not formed an opinion on DeJear. Farmers were saying to me later, Did you see Culver sweat? 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. House Republicans, led by Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan (R-OH), have insisted they had evidence of the "weaponization" of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of . Behind Grassley was a painting of a soldier with a sunset behind him. On January 26, 2022, Grassley stood before a small group of constituents at the VFW in Clarion, Iowa. Grassley, who had previously condemned the actions of the January 6 insurrection, stumbled through an answer. Still, the episode turned off a number of veteran state Democratic activists, former candidates and officeholders, prompting some to give Franken a second look. Here's a look at how federal races are shaping up. That might seem a long shot, but its how the indefatigable Iowan operates. 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. Finkenauer first ran for the Iowa House at age 24, serving two terms as she represented part of Dubuque. 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. 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. 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 . Check online at sos.iowa.gov. Franken announced his candidacymonths later, but heoutspent Finkenauer on advertising and quickly gained support among Democrats. Asked if he finds Trump personally responsible for the Capitol riot, he refers to a statement he put out on Jan. 6. Nunn represents Bondurant and has highlighted his Air Force career in campaign ads. He often ate dinner at King Ying Low, Des Moiness oldest Chinese restaurant, founded in the early 1900s and located at 223 Fourth Street. Kim Reynolds and Sen. Chuck Grassley are up for reelection in 2022, although Reynolds has not officially announced her bid. 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. A district judge ruled Finkenauer hadnt qualified for the ballot, a ruling she called deeply partisan. The Iowa Supreme Court overruled that decision and allowed her to run. Franken will nonetheless face stiff headwinds going into the general election against Grassley, who has served seven terms. 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. Bills, Bills, Bills: What Legislation Survived Funnel Week In Iowa? Ad Choices. Grassley has always walked a delicate balance with Trump; he did not formally endorse him in 2016, but attended at least one Trump campaign event. These are imperatives. "You want me to do 35 for you?" he responded when asked . Senator. A state that Democrat Barack Obama won in two presidential elections has steadily shifted to the right in recent years, part of a broader transformation that has spread through the Northern Plains that has made it increasingly difficult for Democrats to compete statewide. 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. Sheoutraised Grassley in the third quarter of 2021 but political analysts noted that Grassley announced late in the fundraising period and that he maintains impressive voter approval and recognition in the state. Grassley has four times more cash than the next leading candidate of either party. Burgess Everett/POLITICO. 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. Congress is fast approaching the need to take action on the nation's statutory debt limit, often referred to as the debt ceiling. 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. She announced her campaign in July and was recently endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. But by last fall, Grassley put the rumors to rest, releasing a video of himself running at dawn. Feenstra got a high-profile boost from former Vice President Mike Pence in July, when he headlined a fundraiser for Feenstra in Sioux Center. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texasendorsed Hassoon Aug. 12. Its all part of the Iowa-farmer authenticity thats kept his state satisfied for decades. Grassley was born on September 17, 1933, in a two-story white farmhouse outside of New Hartford, Iowa. Incumbent Reynolds, 62, has not officially announced her reelection plans, but she has a strong standing in the state. Hurst has positioned himself as the most progressive in the Democratic primary, and as such, he argues, the most electable of the group. Primary elections for 2022 will be held on June 7, 2022. Momentum and reaction are always simultaneous events in American politics. Hometown: Sherrill (Dubuque County). Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. 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. It speaks to this growling in America, something changing, again. Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Floridas wannabe autocrat and possible 2024 contender isnt Trump, but hes as dangerous to democracy. By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images. As more Iowans tune into the campaigns in the final weeks, the biggest contest is the race to take on Sen. Chuck Grassley. 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. MANILLA, Iowa An Iowa farmer and former Crawford County supervisor has become the first Democrat to announce he is running for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's seat. Finkenauer lost in a reelection bid in 2020 but was a frequent presence on cable television and raised millions of dollars toward her Senate run. 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. In 2022, he was reelected to his eighth Senate term, having first been elected in 1980. Im a tough target for the GOP, he said. Labor Organizer: Gov. Hanusa ended her congressional campaign after redistricting changed the makeup of the district and instead mounted a race for state auditor. God, I hate to give you an on-the-record comment on this, sighed Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont. Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) offered his support last week after Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) announced that he's running for re-election in 2022. March 3, 2023. That was the message: He was fit. It was then that the meetings became raucous, with not liberal, but conservative constituents challenging him. But the insurrection was just water under the bridge for Grassley as he smiled and turned to the microphone.