Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, who's seeking his eighth term in office, has a slim lead over Democratic challenger Mike Franken, poll says
- Veteran GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley has a slim three-point lead over Democratic challenger Mike Franken.
- The Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll showed Grassley leading Franken 46%-43% among likely voters.
Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley has a narrow three-point lead over Democratic challenger Mike Franken in the state's Senate race, according to the highly-regarded Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll.
In the survey, Grassley earned 46% support among likely voters, compared to Franken's 43%; four percent of respondents said they would vote for someone else, while an additional three percent of respondents said they were undecided.
Independents in the poll gave a clear 11-point edge to Franken (46%-35%).
J. Ann Selzer, the president of Selzer & Co. told the Des Moines Register that the closeness of the race shows that Grassley could be vulnerable, a once unthinkable prospect as he has usually glided to reelection during his time in office.
"It says to me that Franken is running a competent campaign and has a shot to defeat the seemingly invincible Chuck Grassley — previously perceived to be invincible," Selzer said.
Selzer & Co. conducted the Iowa Poll.
Grassley, who has been in the Senate since 1981, is seeking his eighth term in the upper chamber in a state that had long been a political bellwether but in recent cycles has shifted to the GOP.
Franken, a retired United States Navy vice admiral, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Senate nomination in 2020 but was defeated by businesswoman Theresa Greenfield.
This year, Franken won the Democratic nomination over former Rep. Abby Finkenauer in a party primary.
Selzer & Co. polled 804 Iowa adults, including 620 likely general election voters between October 9 and October 12; the survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for the questions presented to Iowa adults and a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for likely voters.