Good judgment. Courage. Decency.

Crew, I remain very concerned for our nation. Leadership has been replaced with blatant party politics. GOP politicians, in particular, are racing to the fringes of the far right. Legislation is stagnated. The future is in doubt. We need proven leadership in the Senate.

And that's why I'm proud to announce the launch of my campaign to continue my lengthy service by representing Iowa in the United States Senate.

It won't be easy. But I wouldn't be running if I didn't know that we can win this race. Here’s your opportunity to be a founding donor to our campaign.

As a son of rural Iowa, and a proud one, I'm honored to be a part of this race. My mother, Ruth, was a one-room schoolhouse teacher. My dad, Big Joe, worked on farm equipment and trucks in Lebanon Farm Shop. Life in western Sioux County consisted of work, school, sports, and church. Life was good.

When military service called, I thought it’d be a short hitch. It wasn’t. Successive challenges, from the Cold War to the twenty years since 9/11, kept me engaged and committed in such diverse scenarios as responding to infectious outbreaks in Africa to commanding ships in a combat theater. Military service provided me with a lifetime of leadership.

A big part of leadership is doing what’s right. For instance, in 2002, during deliberations on the invasion of Iraq, I cast the sole ‘no’ vote on the planning committee. It was a bad idea to invade Iraq then and it didn’t get better with time. I was one of the junior officers at the table and under pressure to “go along.” But for me it remains one of those decisions that stand out.

As my mom would say, “Do what’s right; do what your head and heart tell you, and do not give up.”

In the months to come, I will be asking you for the funding needed to represent you as that Senator. I have some catching up to do so I need you to take on this big ask: Can you support our campaign as a founding donor today? As a retired Admiral, I’m a hard target for the GOP hit men, but it doesn’t mean they won’t try. Please help me combat the onslaught of dark money in this race. Your grassroots support will make all the difference.

I'm ready to get to work. Thank you for your support.

Very respectfully,

Michael T. Franken, Vice Admiral, USN (ret.)
Proud Democrat and Candidate for U.S. Senate