Iowa’s U.S. Senate Race

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley

Sen. Chuck Grassley is a Republican currently serving his 7th term in the U.S. Senate. At 89 years old, he is the second-oldest member of Congress. Before he became a U.S. Senator, he served as an Iowa State Representative from 1959 to 1974 and then served Iowa’s 3rd District in Congress. Sen. Grassley has been involved in politics for longer than Alaska has been a state! He was born on a farm in Butler County, and he continues to farm there today.

Education: Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa)

Key Policy Issues: 

• Agriculture and rural development
• Border Security
• Crime, Justice, and Law Enforcement

Age: 89

Living: Washington, D.C.

Occupation: Pro Tempore Emeritus of the U.S. Senate and Senator

Family: Grassley is married and has five children.

Michael Franken

Mike Franken is a retired U.S. Navy admiral running against Grassley as a Democrat for one of Iowa’s senate seats in Congress. Previously, Franken ran for the Senate in 2020, but lost in the primary to Theresa Greenfield. This year’s general election falls on Franken’s 65th birthday.

Education: Naval Postgraduate Institute for physics

Policy Issues: 

• Global Threats
• Enhancing the lives of older Iowans
• Agriculture and rural Iowa

Age: 64

Living: Lebanon, IA

Occupation: Retired United States Navy vice Admiral

Family: Franken is married and has one child.

Polling Forecast: According to FiveThirtyEight, Grassley is ahead in the race by 6.9 percentage points with 48.9 percent of the estimated vote and Franken with 41.9 percent, as of Oct. 21, 2022.