Sen. Chuck Grassley’s help crumbles in Iowa as 64% of voters need him away

On Jun 21, 2021

Iowa voters have had enough of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) as 64% responded they wanted someone new to the Senate.

The Des Moines Register reported on its latest survey:

Almost two-thirds of likely voters, or 64%, say they think it is time for someone new to take over from Grassley. 27 percent say they would re-elect Grassley.

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That includes a sizable percentage of the likely Republican voters, 37% of whom say they are ready for someone else. Eighty-nine percent of Democrats and 68% of Independents say they are ready for something new.

Only 51% of Republicans and 23% of Independents would re-elect Grassley. Chuck Grassley is one of the many Republican Senators to have hugged Trump and Trumpism as a bear, but the numbers in this poll suggest it doesn’t matter.

Grassley would still be a formidable candidate if he ran again. Grassley has been in the Senate since 1981. There is no other Senator who is more anchored and understands the deep power of incumbents better than Chuck Grassley.

The vast majority of elected officials have a shelf life regardless of their age. At some point, voters get tired of the same faces in the same places.

If Grassley runs again he could be vulnerable. Republicans have enough trouble with open seats in states like Pennsylvania and Ohio. A fresh-faced challenger with the opportunity to fill someone else in the Senate could rob Republicans of any hope of winning the Senate majority in 2022.

Voters tell Grassley it’s time to go. If he chooses not to listen, he could support or strengthen the majority in the Democratic Senate by running again and losing.

If Chuck Grassley doesn’t retire, voters could retire him next November.

Mr. Easley is the executive editor of the White House press pool and congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His thesis focused on public policy with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and professional memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association