Poll: Chuck Grassley Has 8-Point Advantage over Democrat Challenger Michael Franken 

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has an eight-point advantage over his Democrat challenger, Michael Franken, according to the most recent Des Moines Register poll.

Grassley is supported by 47 percent of Iowans, compared to Franken’s 39 percent support. The survey found that seven percent of Iowans would vote for someone else, two percent would sit out the race, and another five percent remain undecided.

More Iowans approve of Grassley’s job performance than disapprove, with 46 percent approving and 44 percent disapproving.

Unsurprisingly, 85 percent of Republicans support Grassley, while 88 percent of Democrats support Franken. Independent Iowans are virtually split between Grassley and Franken, with the incumbent recieving 37 support from Iowans and the challenger receiving 38 percent support. In addition, 14 percent of independents would vote for a third-party candidate.

Franken, a retired Navy admiral, recently came under fire for saying he “did not serve” in the military for President Joe Biden’s critics. While on the campaign trail, Franken told a story about how he wrote a letter to an Iowa mayor of a town where residents proudly waved anti-Biden flags.

“I gotta tell you that I speak for all veterans, categorically speaking. Not for that person. I did not serve my nation for him, or her, or whoever lives here. Shame on your town for that,” Franken said.

Even though Grassley’s lead is near double-digits, his advantage over Franken is the lowest since he defeated incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator John Culver by eight points in 1980.

“It is his weakest showing since 1980. It’s a solid lead. But it’s just not as huge as we’ve seen in the past,” pollster J. Ann Selzer explained.

Selzer & Co. surveyed 811 Iowans on behalf of the Des Moines Register from July 10 to July 13. The poll has a margin of error of ± 3.4 percent.