Hello,
Confidence. That’s a word that keeps coming up when I talk to reporters and supporters and as I continue to crisscross the state talking to Iowa voters where they live and work. Will it be difficult to defeat to defeat Iowa’s senior U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley? Yes, but not at all impossible!
Our campaign has great momentum. Just yesterday we made a big announcement that because of staunch supporters like you, we have raised over $750,000 in campaign contributions since our announcement in mid-October of last year.
Our campaign is proud that we have raised this amount without any corporate PAC money. The enthusiasm and support from so many individuals shows that this campaign has the momentum and stamina it will take to defeat Chuck Grassley in November.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
We put in a lot of miles in the state last week as we visited Linn, Johnson, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, Cass, and Woodbury Counties. We had a fantastic turnout in Mount Vernon for a meet and greet, and I want to thank the IBEW Local 405 for giving me a tour of the Cedar Rapids Electrical Training Center. I am confident that with the right Senatorial leadership Iowa can again be a leader in innovation and technological opportunities.
Our next stops were in SW Iowa in Montgomery and Pottawattamie Counties. Thank you to everyone for coming out and braving the cold weather. For those of you who missed it, please check out some of the local coverage here where I discussed energy, education, and childcare.
If your county party is holding any upcoming events or if you are interested in hosting a fundraiser or meet and greet, please email us at [email protected].
I never turn down an opportunity to stop in at the University of Iowa. Last week, I visited with The Daily Iowan and discussed the importance of keeping young people in our state and my vision for the future for the next generation of Iowans.
For those of you in the Davenport viewing area and beyond, I recently sat down with Jim Niedelman of WHBF. Please check out the full interview where I talk about what it will take to defeat Senator Chuck Grassley.
News of Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement was on the minds of everyone last week. I join legions of others in wishing him well in this next chapter of retirement. Our nation is more fair and more accommodating for all because of his service on the bench. His rulings on the Affordable Care Act and freedom of speech serve as recent examples of how he helped this nation.
As we enter the nomination process for his relief on the bench, let’s not forget that in 2016 Sen Grassley blocked the nomination of Attorney General, Merrick Garland, for 293 days in one of the most egregious examples of judicial obstruction in this country’s history. I am confident that Pres. Biden will choose Justice Breyer’s successor based on his distinguished legacy of equality and justice for all. It is also important to note that the practice of enacting a filibuster for Supreme Court nominees was broken by the Trump Administration.
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I am confident that we can do this. We’ll see you next week.
Thank you for reading this.
Sincerely,
Mike Franken, VADM, U.S. Navy (ret.)