Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is 89 years old and running for re-election in Iowa this fall. If he wins, he will be 95 at the end of his next term.

Shannon Longworth Reporter

Grassley faces tightest race yet as midterms approach in Iowa

Sep 27, 2022

Shannon Longworth Reporter

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is 89 years old and running for re-election in Iowa this fall. If he wins, he will be 95 at the end of his next term. Grassley is armed with seven terms in Congress and a Donald Trump endorsement.

“I was born at night, but not last night,” Grassley said at a Save America rally. “So if I didn’t accept the endorsement of a person who’s got 91% of the republican voters in Iowa, I wouldn’t be too smart. I’m smart enough to accept that endorsement.”

Grassley has voted in line with former President Trump about 88 percent of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight.

He strayed on occasion, including when it came to Trump’s trade policy promoting tariffs, which he said harm farmers in his home state.

Iowa has trended red in recent years. And looking toward November, Grassley’s held his lead in the polls. But this could still be the tightest race he’s experienced in 40 years.

As of July, a Selzer & Co. poll showed Grassley at 47 percent, with his Democratic competitor—Mike Franken—at 39 percent.

If he wins and Republicans gain control of the Senate, Grassley could take back his former position as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

So far, with that title, he has guided the senate’s confirmation of 85 federal judges and two controversial Supreme Court justices: Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Now, as an establishment Republican, his age could work against him or his years of experience could give him credibility.

Tags: 2022 Elections, Chuck Grassley, Neil Gorsuch

LONGWORTH: WHILE HE’S NOT THE OLDEST U.S. SENATOR…OR THE OLDEST TO EVER HOLD THAT TITLE…89 YEARS OLD IS NO JOKE.

AND HE’S GUNNING FOR 95 WHILE STILL IN THAT SEAT.

AHEAD OF THE MIDTERMS, IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY IS JUST ONE NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY.

GRASSLEY’S ARMED WITH AN ASTOUNDING 7 TERMS IN CONGRESS AND A TRUMP ENDORSEMENT.

GRASSLEY: “I WAS BORN AT NIGHT, BUT NOT LAST NIGHT. SO IF I DIDN’T ACCEPT THE ENDORSEMENT OF A PERSON WHO’S GOT 91 PERCENT OF THE REPUBLICAN VOTERS IN IOWA, I WOULDN’T BE TOO SMART. I’M SMART ENOUGH TO ACCEPT THAT ENDORSEMENT.”

LONGWORTH: GRASSLEY HAS VOTED IN LINE WITH FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ABOUT 88% OF THE TIME, ACCORDING TO FIVE THIRTY EIGHT.

HE STRAYED ON OCCASION—INCLUDING WHEN IT CAME TO TRUMP’S TRADE POLICY PROMOTING TARIFFS, WHICH HE SAYS, HARM FARMERS IN HIS HOME STATE.

IOWA HAS TRENDED RED IN RECENT YEARS. AND LOOKING TOWARD NOVEMBER, GRASSLEY’S HELD HIS LEAD IN THE POLLS.

BUT THIS COULD STILL BE THE TIGHTEST RACE HE’S EXPERIENCED IN 40 YEARS.

AS OF JULY, A SELZER & CO. POLL SHOWED GRASSLEY AT 47 PERCENT, WITH HIS DEMOCRATIC COMPETITOR—MIKE FRANKEN—AT 39 PERCENT.

IF HE WINS AND REPUBLICANS GAIN CONTROL OF THE SENATE, GRASSLEY COULD TAKE BACK HIS FORMER POSITION AS CHAIR OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.

SO FAR, WITH THAT TITLE, HE HAS GUIDED THE SENATE’S CONFIRMATION OF 85 FEDERAL JUDGES AND TWO CONTROVERSIAL SUPREME COURT JUSTICES:

NEIL GORSUCH AND BRETT KAVANAUGH.

NOW, AS AN ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICAN, HIS AGE COULD WORK AGAINST HIM OR HIS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE COULD GIVE HIM CREDIBILITY.

EITHER WAY, HEADING INTO THE MIDTERMS, SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY IS JUST ONE NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY.