The rise of the Moral Majority, the Jerry Falwellbacked political action group pushing a conservative religious agenda, had given Grassleys election heavenly stakes. Ryan Melton announced his campaign Jan. 31, citing a need to protect the nation's democracy. He was capable. 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. She is a retired community engagement director at a Cedar Rapids-based child advocacy nonprofit. But Grassleys future is certainly on Iowans minds. Grassley doesnt read the replies: 90 percent of them hate me. Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Thats all I can tell you., Fred and I hit a deer on hiway 136 south of Dyersville. has been credited with conservatives big wins in the 1980s. If Grassley does seek reelection, Republicans and many Democrats concede the seat is essentially safe. Something must be causing this. March 3, 2023. 1:49. Following changes in the congressional maps as a result of redistricting, Iowa's 2nd District now cover's the state's northeastern corner, rather than it's southeastern one. And Grassley won the primary and the general. I will condemn it., Former President Donald Trump smiles as Sen. Chuck Grassley speaks during a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on October 09, 2021 in Des Moines, Iowa. 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. 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. 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. Republican activists claimed she hadnt gathered enough signatures from enough counties. State Sen. Zach Nunn, an Altoona native and Bondurant resident, was first elected to the Iowa House in 2014, and he won his Senate seat in 2018. 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. No Democrats have challenged first-term Rep. Randy Feenstra, 52. 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. Hurst has positioned himself as the most progressive in the Democratic primary, and as such, he argues, the most electable of the group. 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. To many, Grassley sounds like hes a candidate-in-waiting. 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. Hanusa ended her congressional campaign after redistricting changed the makeup of the district and instead mounted a race for state auditor. 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. In his memoir, Obama describes Grassley as toying with the administration over possibly supporting the Affordable Care Act. State Rep. Christina Bohannan, a Democrat and University of Iowa law professor, announced her candidacy in August. 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. Yet there may be something of a Grassley exception for the states elections. Watch the video & then chip in to help build our campaign: https://t.co/DPPR2wVD19 pic.twitter.com/YWvsgwcwvo, Download the We Are Iowa app Sign up for Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter Subscribe to Local 5 News on YouTube, In a campaign video released Monday, Dave Muhlbauer says many Iowa voters just feel like Democrats are leaving rural areas high and dry., No. Grassley defined himself as a conservative Republican in opposition to Ray. Finkenauer is a former state representative who was elected to Iowa's 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 but lost her 2020 re-election bid. She served in the Iowa House for ten years and served as chair of the Economic Growth Committee. Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. That age will be a factor down the road, said Ardie Kuhse, a longtime supporter back home who runs the Waukon Economic Development Corporation. Grassleys push-ups are precarioushis arms barely bend, his movements are small and slow. Momentum and reaction are always simultaneous events in American politics. 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. She announced her campaign in August. 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. 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. I will not give him a dignified retirement. Her campaign also reported a deep war chest coming into 2022, with$4.8 million cash on hand at the beginning of the year. Now lives in Sioux City. Ernst tweeted a condemnation of Kings comments, and Grassley, more tepid, did as well, telling reporters he found it offensive to claim white supremacy. Now lives in Cedar Rapids. Both Hinson and Mathis, 63, are former television journalists who were coworkers at a Cedar Rapids TV station. Sex appeal, Grassley said. She announced her campaign in July and was recently endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. And though he never seriously contemplated challenging Bidens win, he says his colleagues had every right to do so. Burgess Everett/POLITICO. And as the second-oldest senator, Grassley has become an avatar of American politicsthe old world clinging so hard to the new one, holding tight, refusing to let go. Abb But to be honest with you, what I have been hearing is, its time to let new blood into his seat.. 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. 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. Bob Krause, a former state representative and veterans activist, announced in October he will run for the U.S. Senate. She laughed and said, I think he kinda liked me.. Finkenauer is a former state representative. I dont think he wanted to be considered blatantly sexist, though I believe that he was. | Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images. But even so, history is catching up with him. 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. But life began for Franken in a small town in deeply-conservative Northwest Iowa, where he was one of nine children. Finkenauer first ran for the Iowa House at age 24, serving two terms as she represented part of Dubuque. Hovelson has gotten a lot of mileage out of this story. 1:49. Kim Reynolds and Sen. Chuck Grassley are up for reelection in 2022, although Reynolds has not officially announced her bid. He questioned Reagans military spending and pushed for hearings on unfettered defense budgets. Nicole Hasso, a Johnston Republican, is a political newcomer. Required fields are marked *. 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. The 42 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time, The 25 Best Shows on Netflix to Watch Right Now, King Charles Reportedly Began Evicting Meghan and Harry the Day After, Ron DeSantis Shouldnt Be Covered Like Just Another Republican. Finkenauer is a former state representative who was . Mike Franken, a retired U.S. Navy Admiral, announced he would seek the Democratic nomination in October. Low around 30F. Example video title will go here for this video, Q&A | Iowa's Forces of Nature: A Local 5 Severe Weather Special. Three Democrats are facing off for the partys nomination, hoping to stop Grassley from securing an eight term in the Senate. Despite the fact that the majority of Iowans thought maybe it was time for him to step aside. Labor Organizer: Gov. I'm a problem. Rep. Cindy Axne, another potential Democratic Senate candidate, declined an interview request. There are rumors that Grassley wants to elevate his grandson, statehouse Speaker Pat Grassley, into the Senate. Grassleys hearings seemed to connect with the cash-poor Republican farmers and the Democrats who were sick of war. He posited the orchestra pit theory, that if you have two guys on a stage and one guy says, I have a solution to the Middle East problem, and the other guy falls in the orchestra pit, who do you think is going to be on the evening news?. Carlin served in the Iowa House for one year and for four years as an Iowa Senator. His most recent election against former Lt. Gov. But look how close he came, he tells me. Franken's secured the nomination Tuesday, Abby Finkenauer entered the race as the perceived frontrunner, racking up significant endorsements and fundraising. 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.. Kim Reynolds' and Sen. Chuck Grassley's reelection races to early Iowa caucus action. Its a difficult dance. 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 . Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, IA-02, announced in November that she willmove into the 1st District and run for reelection there. Charles Ernest Grassley was going to run again. But Finkenauers campaign faced an unexpected stumble in April when she nearly didnt make the primary ballot. With just four months until the primary election, Iowas congressional and governor races are starting to solidify. Whatever else he is, hes a member of the political gerontocracy. I have voted to put us back into the Paris Climate Accord. $4.8 million cash on hand at the beginning of the year. 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 . Smith announced in February hewill not seek re-election in the House. The general feeling of probably the public, on maybe both sides, is that he should retire. hoped Grassley would not seek reelection. And he will be fighting that war on two fronts. Its not impossible for Democrats to break through, Scholten argued. About 30 people were in attendance. 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. Grassley will also face a Republican primary challenge from stateSen. Jim Carlin, R-Sioux City. 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. Heres where the race stands currently with just four months until Iowa holds its primary election on June 7. After I pulled fender rubbing on tire we continued to farm. His shoulders slumped forward, his head leaned in, as he listened and answered questions. Associated Press writers David Pitt in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Grant Schulte in Council Bluffs, Iowa, contributed to this report. It doesn't exist. Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. three in four Iowans had not formed an opinion on DeJear, he will run for an eighth term in the U.S. Senate. Sun and clouds mixed. Check online at sos.iowa.gov. Reporter Brianne Pfannenstiel contributed reporting. 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. If he doesnt, the GOPs road to the majority gets that much harder. Hes a conservative who can work with Democrats on a handful of issues, like criminal justice reform and drug prices, while executing brutal partisan power plays to fill the federal bench with conservatives. 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. Assume deer dead, Grassley always looks the part: Rimless glasses, elephant ties and sometimes his signature sweater vests. But sometime in 2009, the tables turned. Behind Grassley was a painting of a soldier with a sunset behind him. He is running against long-time Iowa State Senator Chuck Grassley in the upcoming Iowa Caucuses on Feb. 7. Figure 2 If you shift the vaccination curve by 6 months, it seems to align well with the death spikes. Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. It speaks to this growling in America, something changing, again. Yes, the Cook Political Report and other analyses are not promising. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. She is a teacher and currently works for a nonprofit in Council Bluffs that provides care for children with mental and behavioral health needs. That might seem a long shot, but its how the indefatigable Iowan operates. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He would be 95 at the end of an eighth term. At count 22, Cotton stands up and helps pull Grassley, then 87 years old, to his feet. As more Iowans tune into the campaigns in the final weeks, the biggest contest is the race to take on Sen. Chuck Grassley. Regardless of which of the three wins the nomination they are in for a very uphill campaign. 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. Des Moines Primary 2022: Abby Finkenauer candidate profile . 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? The June 7 primary election will be the first test of a new set of political boundaries following Iowa's decennial redistricting process. Thats how I feel.. Bidens 39% approval rating imary winner might be more of a sacrificial lamb considering Bidens 39% approval ratings. 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. God, I hate to give you an on-the-record comment on this, sighed Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texasendorsed Hassoon Aug. 12. Hurst got more involved in local politics after Donald Trumps election in 2016, becoming a leader in the grassroots Indivisible movement. And the people didnt seem to care about the KKK or any of that. Whos running for governor and for Congress? He also called for adding a public insurance option to the Affordable Care Act. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. Franken announced his candidacymonths later, but heoutspent Finkenauer on advertising and quickly gained support among Democrats. Hinson, 38, will run in the 2nd District in 2022. Hurst is the more progressive candidate of the three, and he said Saturday he unequivocally supports policies like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. So there he was one moment, onstage, eagerly grinning, accepting Trumps endorsement, then later scowling when asked questions about it. His unconventional moves aside, Grassleys a political pro, toeing the line between establishment Republicans and Trump-era hardliners. Krause also ran in 2016, but finished third in the Democratic primary behind Patty Judge and Rob Hogg. I have voted for rural infrastructure. More: Mike Franken wins Democratic US Senate primary; to take on Chuck Grassley in November. but attended at least one Trump campaign event. 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. Heres how. candidate Glenn Hurst, a city council member and doctor from Minden. He hasnt announced, but I think hes going to run, advised National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Rick Scott (R-Fla.). I steal from them their entire narrative. If he wins in 2022, he will be 95 years old at the conclusion of that term. In September, Democrat Joseph Kerner quietly entered the race and registered his campaign with the Federal Election Commission. He said he believes Grassley would have to debate him during a general election because of his record of service. Sen. Trump endorsed Grassley for reelection at the event. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR. 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. Having dealt with folks out in D.C. the past couple cycles, I dont think they understand fully whats going on here in Iowa, Scholten said. 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. But this isnt necessarily anything new. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is seen in the U.S. Capitol after the senate luncheons on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. 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. Despite the fact that only 27% of Iowans wanted him to do it. He often ate dinner at King Ying Low, Des Moiness oldest Chinese restaurant, founded in the early 1900s and located at 223 Fourth Street. After the leaked Supreme Court opinion on abortion rights, Finkenauer has spoken out at several pro-choice rallies about her longtime support of womens health care and noting how useful it would be to have a young woman in the Senate who can talk personally about reproductive rights. 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. 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. This is Trump's first rally in Iowa since the 2020 election. These are imperatives. 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. Just 10% of respondents had a favorable view of her. State Sen. Zach Nunn, 42, entered the race in July. It was then that the meetings became raucous, with not liberal, but conservative constituents challenging him. And after five GOP retirements this cycle, Grassley is under pressure to save his party from defending yet another open seat as it labors to retake the majority. If reelected, Grassley will be the most senior member of the Senate, and as such, is front of the line for president pro tempore if the Republicans win a majority in 2022. High 53F. 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. She launched her congressional campaign in July. State Rep. Christina Bohannan currently represents Iowa House District 85 in Iowa City. She is also a former television reporter and anchor at KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids. When he needed some water, he fumbled, and spilled on his pants. You have permission to edit this article. 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. Grassley, simply by being underestimated, has escaped much scrutiny. Abby Finkenauer, a former U.S. congresswoman and state legislator, took a more moderate approach to those policies, saying she supports an expanded Medicare system for those who want it in addition to employer-based private health insurance, and she said she opposed the Green New Deal while she was in Congress. 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. Melton works in a leadership role at Nationwide Insurance and lives in Nevada, Iowa. 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. Its tempting to underestimate Grassley. 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. In Grassleys biography, former aide Pete Conroy recalled how a simple farmer could make a Harvard man nervous. Miller-Meeks, 66, faces two challengers in the 1st District. Grassleys primary challenger, Carlin, has repeated these claims and accused Grassley of not doing enough to overturn the election results. And on January 5, 2021, Grassley suggested he didnt believe that Mike Pence would preside over the certification of Joe Bidens electoral victory, that if Pence didnt show up, he, as president pro tempore of the Senate, would preside over the process, and that it would be really wrong for me to say I have my mind made up about the election results. I think there was an inherent sense of fairness, she said to me in a phone interview. If youre a Democrat in this state, you really need to create a movement.. He was part of the wave of conservative election upsets in 1980. 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.. Here's what to know.