Candidate for U.S. Senate Mike Franken of Sioux City says Iowa needs him.
“First and for most, put county over party, people over politics, and vote Chuck Grassley out of office.”
Franken, a retired-three-star Navy admiral addressed a few dozen people at a campaign stop at Western Iowa Tech Community College Thursday night. Incumbent Chuck Grassley is seeking his eighth term in office.
“We have a senior Senator who says 'Hey, I’m the most senior.' But you have to have it in your bones to be a leader. Have you known anything Chuck Grassley has led on?”
Franken tells Siouxland Public Media if elected, he wants to stop political divisiveness and focus on issues like immigration, abortion rights, agriculture, education, and health care.
“Mostly, I want people to get along for the future of America, be more environmentally conscious, and make a better quality of life for people in the state of Iowa.”
A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll published last week shows the 64-year-old 3 points behind Grassley, who is 25 years his senior. The last time Grassley faced a close race was in 1980 when he beat Democratic incumbent John Culver.
“Iowans are strong we look out for our neighbors. We defend democracy and civil rights. We deserve someone in Washington with a jaw steel and a heart on fire.”
Early voting started on Wednesday in Iowa Franken cast his ballot in his hometown on Thursday.
A spokesperson for Senator Grassley sent Siouxland Public Media the following statement:
"Mike Franken says Joe Biden is doing a 'fabulous job' as president, but the truth is that Joe Biden is failing America as 40-year-high inflation forces Iowans to pay more for rent, groceries, utilities, and gas. Meanwhile, Mike Franken supports every single tax-and-spend policy of Joe Biden's that's caused historic inflation and he has even said senators have 'no role' in fighting inflation. That’s not leadership--that’s throwing in the towel. On Biden’s watch, America’s on the wrong track with rising crime in our cities; falling student achievement in our schools; delayed and destroyed retirement plans due to a plummeting stock market; record waves of illegal immigration; historic number of overdose deaths from fentanyl pouring into local communities; and a shrinking economy. Chuck Grassley won’t abandon Iowans struggling to make ends meet in the Biden economy. Unlike his opponent, Grassley supports more border patrol agents, not hiring 87,000 new IRS agents. Nobody works harder for Iowans than Chuck Grassley. Iowans know the Senator we need is the Senator we've got."