Mike Franken enters Iowa’s U.S. Senate race

Retired Navy admiral is fifth Democrat to seek party’s nomination

Oct. 14, 2021 10:19 am, Updated: Oct. 14, 2021 2:48 pm

Mike Franken of Sioux City, a Democrat and a retired U.S. Navy admiral, announced on Thursday he will seek his party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate. (Submitted)

DES MOINES — Democrat Mike Franken of Sioux City, a retired three-star Navy admiral, is entering Iowa’s U.S. Senate race.

Franken, who announced his campaign on Twitter on Thursday morning, is the fifth candidate in the Democratic primary.

The winner of the primary will likely face longtime incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley in next fall’s general election.

“An important part of leadership is doing what’s right,” Franken posted on Twitter. “In 2002, I cast the sole ‘no’ vote during deliberations on the invasion of Iraq. Now, I’m declaring my candidacy to unseat (Grassley) to represent Iowa in the U.S. Senate.”

Franken was referring to his vote as a Navy captain while discussing the invasion of Iraq in 2003 with other military leaders in the George W. Bush administration.

Franken, 63, also ran in the Democratic primary in Iowa’s 2020 U.S. Senate race. He received 25 percent of the primary vote, finishing behind Theresa Greenfield, who was defeated by Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst.

“I’ll be a senator for all of Iowa, the rural and urban parts and small towns, because there’s more that unites us than divides us,” Franken said in a campaign news release.

“We all want health care we can afford, good jobs that allow young people to stay close to home, and leadership from Washington instead of constant partisan bickering.”

The other Democratic candidates are former U.S. Rep. and state lawmaker Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids, farmer and former county supervisor Dave Muhlbauer of Manning, physician Glenn Hurst of Minden and veterans advocate Bob Krause of Burlington.