Grassley, Judge cite potential for change in closing arguments

CEDAR RAPIDS - In making their closing arguments, both major party candidates for an Iowa U.S. Senate seat talk about change.

In a folksy television commercial that includes footage of the farmer-senator cutting the grass on his rural New Hartford lawn with a mower of his own design, GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley talks about positive change in Iowa.

In her closing argument, Democratic challenger Patty Judge says that after six terms of Iowans being represented by Grassley in the Senate, it's time for a change.

The outcome of the race is to be determined by the Nov. 8 election.

Grassley and Judge are set to hold their final debate today. The debate, from 4-5 p.m. is to be broadcast on WHO Radio and WHO-TV and streamed live at WHOTV.com and WHOradio.com.

'Iowa is changing,” Grassley says in his ad, 'Next,” that presents an optimistic message of an increasingly prosperous Iowa. He cites Iowa's growth in energy production, attracting high-tech jobs and population growth.

The ad includes images of Grassley that campaign manager Robert Haus said represent the senator's work ethic, his annual visits to all 99 counties and his daily three-mile runs. It also shows Grassley sitting atop the tallest wind turbine in North America at an Iowa wind farm.

Rather than take credit, Grassley says the change has been collaborative.

'We've done it together, but we're not done yet,” Grassley concludes.

Judge also talks about change - change in Grassley over his 36 years in the U.S. Senate.

'Over the past 42 years, rather than Chuck Grassley changing Washington, Washington has changed Chuck Grassley,” Judge spokesman Sam Roecker said. Grassley has served 36 years in the Senate following six years in the U.S. House.

'Over the past weeks and months we have continued to make the case that Chuck Grassley has turned his back on Iowa,” Roecker said. 'He's no longer an independent voice for Iowa families, he's more concerned with political games and partisanship than doing his job.”

In particular, Judge has hammered Grassley, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, for his refusal to have hearings on President Barack Obama's nominee to fill a Supreme Court vacancy.

In her ad, 'Changed,” Iowans tell a cardboard cutout of Grassley that they've voted for him in the past, 'but your obstruction is responsible for the least effective Senate ever.”

The voters in the ad say privatizing Social Security threatens Iowans' retirement and defunding Planned Parenthood risks women's health.

Judge concludes the ad with the usual political advertising disclaimer that she approves the message 'because Chuck Grassley has changed and we can change our senator.”