Franken Wins Dem Nod to Face Grassley Juggernaut in November
Retired U.S. Navy Adm. Michael Franken easily defeated former U.S. Rep Abby Finkenaer to win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. Franken now faces steep odds against the entrenched Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley.
However daunting the uphill battle may appear the day after a Primary win, Ret. Navy Adm. Franken lives to fight another day. With NPR reporting 82% of the vote in, Franken maintained a sizable lead over Finkenauer, who many considered the leading candidate early on in the race.
However, Finkenauer fumbled when she allowed Republicans to challenge her candidate nomination signatures. Which led to an embarrassing court battle that planted doubt about her staying power against the seasoned Grassley juggernaut.
Nonetheless, Franken raised enough funds to deliver a compelling message to enough Democrats to put him over the top in yesterday's Primary.
Now, the heavy lifting of convincing national donors and Iowa voters that he's the right man for the job.
Meanwhile, Senator Chuck Grassley has been in Washington for 47 years, and another term will make it over five decades. He is unquestionably a political force even at 88 years of age.
While his age might be a detriment in many places, Iowa isn't one of them. Those 65 or older account for 17.5% of the population. Moreover, 78.5% of this demographic regularly turns out to vote. As a result, most Iowa voters have seen Grassley's name on the ballot for much of their lifetimes, and they've consistently voted for him by larger margins.
The salient questions for Iowa voters will be, who is Michael Franken, and why should I vote for him over the folksy talking Chuck?
The clock is ticking, and time will tell if Democrats were right in putting Franken up to the task. Does he have the chops to make a clear, concise, and compelling case for his candidacy between now and Tuesday, November 8, 2022?
WATCH CAMPAIGN INTRO VIDEOS:
MICHALE FRANKEN via Youtube
CHUCK GRASSLEY VIA Youtube