Judge in the toughest race of her life

PHILADELPHIA - The Democratic narrative of Iowa's U.S. Senate race this year has been that challenger Patty Judge will give Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley the fight of his political life.

The six-term senator has coasted re-election five times, capturing more than 60 percent of the vote each time. However, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman has given Democrats an opening this year by refusing to hold hearings on President Barack Obama's nominee to fill a Supreme Court vacancy.

Grassley, 82, may sit on the nomination of federal Judge Merrick Garland, but, Democrats say, Patty Judge 'is the judge Grassley can't ignore.”

Polls have shown widespread dissatisfaction among Iowans, including Republicans, with Grassley's refusal to hold hearings. Judge told Iowa delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Thursday that's working to her advantage.

'We are on the right track with this campaign,” she said at the delegation's daily breakfast meeting. 'Our polling getting better every day. Chuck Grassley is more unhappy every day, which pleases me.”

However, Judge, 72, admitted that this race is no cake walk for her.

'This is a big race. This is the toughest race I have been in my life and I know that,” said Judge told the delegates. She was elected twice to the Iowa Senate and as secretary of agriculture, before serving one term as Gov. Chet Culver's lieutenant governor. They lost their bid for a second term.

She warned that GOP groups, the NRA and the Koch Brothers will 'unleash bucket loads of money against me” because Judge supports what she called 'common-sense gun control.

As many party leaders have done throughout the week of the national convention, Judge made a plea for party unity.

'I can't do this by myself,” she said. 'I need each and every one of you.

'Whether you were in the Hillary camp, whether you were in the Bernie camp, whatever, we will not win this race, my race, we will not win Kim's race, we won't win Monica's or Jimmy's if we are not together,” Judge said, referring to Kim Weaver, Monica Vernon and Jim Mowrer in the 4th, 1st and 3rd U.S. House districts, respectively.

'The issues that have been brought forward by Sanders camp are important. They are things that need to be on our agenda,” Judge said, adding that if elected, 'I will be proud to serve beside Sen. Bernie Sanders.”