Campaign Almanac: Grassley submits re-election signatures

DES MOINES — Chuck Grassley, Iowa’s longtime U.S. senator, officially filed for re-election Friday, submitting nearly 10,000 signatures to the Iowa secretary of state’s office.

Grassley, a Republican, is running for an eighth six-year term in the U.S. Senate. He will be 89 years old when ballots are counted in this November’s midterm elections.

Speaking to reporters after filing, Grassley said he feels momentum building for Republican candidates in this year’s elections in Iowa and across the country.

“If the election were held today, we’d take control of both the Senate and the House. Eight months ahead? To make sure that happens, (Republicans need) just to keep up the hard work,” Grassley said.

Three prominent national political forecasting websites — Sabato’s Crystal Ball, the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections — all rate Iowa’s 2022 race for U.S. Senate as safe or solid Republican.

Grassley faces a GOP primary challenge from Jim Carlin, a lawyer and state legislator from Sioux City.

Four Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination for the seat: former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer, of Cedar Rapids; U.S. Navy veteran Michael Franken, of Sioux City; Minden physician Glenn Hurst; and Burlington veterans advocate Bob Krause.

DIVESTING IN RUSSIA: Roby Smith, a Republican candidate for state treasurer and state legislator from Davenport, has called on current treasurer Mike Fitzgerald to divest any state of Iowa investments in Russian entities.

Smith is challenging Fitzgerald, a Democrat, in this fall’s state treasurer election.

“In light of (Russian president) Vladimir Putin’s abhorrent and completely unprovoked attack on the sovereign nation of Ukraine, the State of Iowa needs to strategically divest of any Russian securities it may hold and prevent any future investment with Iowa’s public funds,” Smith said in a statement issued earlier this week.

Fitzgerald said the state has some funds invested in Russian entities through the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System, the public employee retirement program, and a small portion — one-half of 1 percent — of the 529 retirement savings promotion program. Fitzgerald said he has been working with managers on the 529 program, and that the IPERS board — of which he is a member — would need to vote to make any investment moves.

On Friday, Fitzgerald issued a statement joining other state treasurers in supporting efforts to divest public funds in Russian companies at all levels of government.

“I condemn Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine,” Fitzgerald said in the statement. “I stand with the people of Ukraine and democracy. Therefore, I am joining other state treasurers so we can speak in a united voice to call for the divestment of public funds as soon as possible.”

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