Michael Franken Wins Democrat U.S. Senate Primary in Iowa

Michael Franken has won the Democrat U.S. Senate primary in Iowa on Tuesday, according to an Associated Press projection.

The 64-year-old Franken is a retired Navy admiral who served in the military for nearly four decades. Although he grew up in Iowa’s Sioux County, Franken is no stranger to Washington, DC. He spent time on former Sen. Ted Kennedy’s (D-MA) staff and worked as the Navy’s chief of legislative affairs.

Franken upset former Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) in his victory on Tuesday. Franken’s 2022 campaign is his second attempt at securing a seat in the U.S. Senate. In 2020, Franken fell short in Iowa’s Democrat primary during his attempt to unseat former Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA).

Franken attributes the January 6 Capitol riots as the catalyst for his latest campaign. “This time around, I think the primary motivator was January 6. Having been a defender of our way of life, our standard of living democracy worldwide,” Franken said, “I found it quite an affront that it was being threatened here from within. And I believe I’d be a strong voice, steel jawed, for democracy in the future.”

Franken will face incumbent Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) in November’s general election. While on the campaign trail, Franken criticized Grassley for supporting former President Donald Trump.

Franken claimed that Grassley “cozies up to [Trump] on stage for the sole purpose of garnering that vacuous, shallow support just to get reelected — clawing to get reelected.”

“I don’t think that is an idealized Iowa trait. I believe we stand for Iowa values and principles,” Franken added.

Grassley campaign spokesperson Michaela Sundermann said Franken would be “another yes-man for Biden’s radical liberal policies” and “the most liberal nominee in Iowa Senate history.”

“President Biden had his way and look what happened: soaring gas and grocery prices, 40-year high inflation, and a crisis on our southern border,” Sundermann said. “Mike Franken will just be another yes-man for Biden’s radical liberal policies that put America on the wrong track.”

Sundermann added:

Mike Franken will be the most liberal nominee in Iowa Senate history. His politics align with his old boss Ted Kennedy and with Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi, not Iowans. He’s for higher taxes, government-run health care, and socialist drug pricing plans. He supports open borders, lawlessness in our cities and on our borders. He endorsed Biden’s reckless spending spree and policies, resulting in record-high gas and grocery prices and historic inflation across the board. Franken hasn’t spent a lot of time in Iowa, so he’s got a lot to learn. Iowans will soon find out just how radical, out of touch, and hyperpartisan Mike Franken is. When it comes to advocating for Iowans, Chuck Grassley is the leader Iowa needs. He will stand up to the Biden administration and stand firm fighting for Iowans.

Health care and education were Franken’s top priorities throughout his campaign. On education, Franken emphasized the federal government’s “role in standardizing things.”

When speaking about American elections, Franken believes the country’s policies should “encourage maximum voter participation.”

While Americans are suffering financial woes due to record levels of inflation and gas prices under President Joe Biden, he places no blame on the president. Instead, Franken cites “corporate entities” and “board of directors” as the cause of inflation.

“Some of the inflation is the result of I think corporate entities taking advantage of the fog of a post pandemic environment where they can overcharge. And you’ll see corporate profits are suggestive of that,” Franken said. “So I would, from a government perspective, I’d call it out and justice department, I’d call it out and, and even board of directors, I think, have to be introspective about this.”

Franken’s views on the southern border are aligned with radical far-left open border activists who call for unfettered immigration into the United States.

“We should redouble efforts to increase immigration. We should find a pathway for those who are here to future full citizenship,” Franken told local news outlets. “And I’m a fan ultimately of bringing those undocumented individuals in America into the light.”

The Iowa Democrat Senate nominee has also called for fewer firearms on America’s streets. “More firearms has proven to be a less than good idea. I’m a fan of responsible gun ownership like we do in the military,” he said.