Campaign Almanac: Trump ally, leading House conservative endorses Grassley re-election

Sen. Chuck Grassley speaks during a question-and-answer session on public safety with Eastern Iowa law enforcement officials at Mr. Beans, 1080 East Post Rd., Marion, on Sept. 24, 2021. Grassley announced that he is running for re-election to U.S. Senate. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Calling him a “tireless advocate for Iowans who has fought and delivered time and time again” for Iowans, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik has endorsed Sen. Chuck Grassley's re-election.

Grassley, an Iowa Republican, is seeking an eighth term. “He has fought tooth and nail to root out waste and corruption in our government,” the New York congresswoman said.

“I'm honored to join President Donald Trump in endorsing Chuck Grassley,” Stefanik said.

In her endorsement, Stefanik, who was a domestic policy adviser to President George W. Bush before being elected to the House, noted Grassley's efforts since 2019 to uncover “deeply troubling financial entanglements of the Biden family and the communist Chinese regime” involving President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and brother, James Biden.

“I’m proud to join Sen. Grassley in calling the media out for their blatant cover-up and censorship of the Hunter Biden scandal,” she said.

Grassley, who served in the House before being elected to the Senate in 1980, welcomed the endorsement from Stefanik — “a powerful voice for conservatives in Congress.”

“She calls it like it is and fights for what's right,” Grassley said.

Grassley faces a primary challenge from state Sen. Jim Carlin, R-Sioux City.

Few conservatives in Congress have accomplished more than Grassley, according to Stefanik, who pointed to his work as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman to confirm hundreds of Trump’s “constitutionalist judges to the federal courts and led the confirmation of two Supreme Court justices to lifetime tenure, cementing the high court's conservative majority.”

He’s also stopped “far-left” judicial nominees, led the way to expose wrongdoing at the Department of Justice and FBI, root out corruption in the federal government“ and uncover the truth so that justice can prevail,” she said.

MATHIS OFFICE OPENING: Sen. Liz Mathis of Hiawatha, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in the new 2nd Congressional District covering Linn County and northeast Iowa, will host a grand opening of her campaign office at 4850 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 16.

U.S. SENATE FORUM: Eastern Iowa Democrats will host an in-person forum with Democratic U.S. Senate hopefuls from 1 to 3 p.m. April 16 at Maquoketa Valley High School auditorium in Delhi.

Candidates Mike Franken and Glenn Hurst are scheduled to participate in the event hosted by Democratic parties in Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson and Jones counties.

Masks are recommended and appreciated.

SUPERVISORS FUNDRAISER: Linda Langston and Arvind Dandekar are hosting a meet-and-greet fundraiser for Linn County supervisor candidates Ben Rogers and Breanna Oxley at 12:30 p.m. April 24 at 2731 28th Ave., Marion.

RSVP linda_langston@hotmail.com.

Gazette Des Moines Bureau