Michael Franken defeated Abby Finkenauer and Glenn Hurst in the June 7 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Iowa and faced incumbent Chuck Grassley (R), first elected in 1980, in the general election.

Finkenauer represented Iowa's 1st Congressional District from 2019 to 2021. At the time of her election to the U.S. House, Finkenauer was, at age 29, the second-youngest woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress.^[1] She campaigned on term limits, saying members of Congress should not serve for more than 12 years. Finkenauer said, "when January 6 happened, that's where everything changed for me. Because I saw as we had somebody sitting there, at that point for 45 years, Senator Grassley pushed conspiracies about the election. Not even talk about the truth and actually, you know, bring people together after that moment."^[2]

Franken was a retired three-star U.S. Navy Admiral. He ran in the 2020 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and lost to Theresa Greenfield. Franken campaigned on protecting voting rights and expanding federal programs for older Iowans, including Medicare. Franken said, "My family used military, my brother-in-law and myself, to go to college and do bigger things than what rural Lebanon, Iowa offered. My broad perspective is a product of exposure."^[3] Franken said he appealed to, "that middle segment who want logical, pragmatic, smart, dedicated, national servants to work for them. Leader servants. I believe I’m that person.”^[4]

Hurst was a family physician who also served as the chair of the Iowa Democratic Party's Rural Caucus. He campaigned on Medicare for All and investing in rural America. Hurst said he was "a progressive candidate in this race that is different from the other candidates" because he supported Medicare for All and a Green New Deal.^[5] He said candidates in Iowa have lost because "they didn’t appeal to that desire for change."^[6]

Glenn Hurst (D) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click on a candidate's name to view that candidate's responses.

This page focuses on Iowa's United States Senate Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the state's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Iowa

Michael Franken defeated Abby Finkenauer and Glenn Hurst in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Iowa on June 7, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Michael Franken	55.2	86,527
	Abby Finkenauer	39.9	62,581
	Glenn Hurst	4.8	7,571
	Other/Write-in votes	0.1	158

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 156,837
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Bob Krause (D)
Dave Muhlbauer (D)

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.^[7]

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Abby Finkenauer

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office:

Iowa's 1st Congressional District (2019-2021)
Iowa House of Representatives (2015-2019)

Biography: Finkenauer earned a bachelor's degree from Drake University in 2011. Her professional experience includes working at the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and serving on the board of Greater Dubuque Development Corporation.

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Finkenauer has campaigned on term limits, saying she supports banning members of Congress "from serving more than 12 years in office."

Finkenauer has said supply chain issues have increased inflation, and has campaigned on holding "the multi-national corporations that created this problem accountable to fix our broken supply chains immediately" and "bringing home domestic manufacturing to prevent this problem from happening again."

Finkenauer has campaigned on her record of bipartisanship in the U.S. House, and has said "If we can get beyond the partisanship and senseless bickering, there is common-sense, bipartisan work to be done in Washington. I’ve gotten it done before, and I’ll do it again in the U.S. Senate."

Show sources

Sources: Abby Finkenaur 2022 campaign website, "Term limits proposal," accessed May 19, 2022; Abby Finkenaur 2022 campaign website, "End the supply chain crisis," accessed May 19, 2022; Des Moines Register, "Here's where the 3 Democrats fighting for a chance to win a US Senate seat sit on the issues," accessed May 19, 2022; Abby Finkenauer 2022 campaign website, "Home page," accessed May 19, 2022; Iowa State University, "Abby Finkenauer," accessed May 19, 2022; United States House of Representatives History, Art & Archives, "Finkenauer, Abby," accessed May 19, 2022

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Iowa in 2022.

Michael Franken

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography: Franken earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Nebraska and a master’s degree from the College of Physics at the Naval Postgraduate School. Franken entered the U.S. Navy in 1970 and retired a three-star admiral in 2017. He worked in a variety of positions in Washington, D.C., including as the first military officer on Sen. Ted Kennedy’s (D) staff. He also worked in the U.S. Department of Defense.

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Franken has campaigned on protecting democracy in the United States and abroad, saying "With our voting rights under attack and our civil liberties threatened on a daily basis, we cannot sit back and watch our democracy crumble amidst GOP lies and false propaganda."

Franken has released a plan focused on older Iowans that includes keeping Social Security solvent, expanding Medicare, and lowering prescription drug prices, all paid for "with a simpler and fairer tax system where every American, including the wealthy and big corporations, pays their fair share."

Franken has campaigned on what he describes as fighting "to make our criminal justice system work fairly for everyone, not just the wealthy, connected, and wily."

Show sources

Sources: Mike Franken 2022 campaign website, "On the Issues," accessed May 23, 2022; Mike Franken 2022 campaign website, "Meet Mike," accessed May 23, 2022

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Iowa in 2022.

Glenn Hurst

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "Dr. Hurst is a leader in the Iowa Democratic Party as Chair of the party's Rural Caucus, a Minden City Councilman, and Chair of the 3rd Congressional District Central Committee, where he played a crucial role in the re-election of the current representative, Congresswoman Cindy Axne. Dr. Hurst has been an outspoken advocate for rural Iowa and seniors. He has been featured internationally on programs such as NPR, CNN, Yahoo Finance as a frontline practitioner in rural Iowa and as an authority on the devastation of the Covid crisis on our seniors. Dr. Hurst grew up in a military family. He was born on a US military base in Wiesbaden, Germany, and moved with his family until they settled in the rural Midwest during his primary years. He is married with 4 children in their blended household. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Nebraska Omaha and graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center as a Medical Doctor in 2006. He is a physician, advocate, and founding member of the Indivisible movement of Iowa and Nebraska. Dr. Hurst actively shaped the Indivisible revolution in rural Iowa by leading actions to achieve Medicare for All, to raise wages, and support labor unions by fighting against collective bargaining limitations. "

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Healthcare: Every American deserves access to quality, affordable and reliable healthcare. I’m committed to fighting for reforms that improve access to care in Iowa, reign in the costs, and ensure that no matter what you do for a living or where you do it, you can find and afford care for your family.

Jobs: Iowans take pride in being hard workers, committed to serving their community and family. As Iowa’s Senator I would fight for jobs that not only put food on the table today, but that solve the major crises facing our nation. Through good paying jobs and careers that rebuild our communities, and a little grit, we can empower marginalized communities and slow the pace of climate change.

Rural Recovery: Our nation needs major investments everywhere, but for too long rural America has taken a backseat. For decades we’ve seen our schools consolidate, our hospitals close, and the promise of high speed internet cross county lines via grant money here and there. The piecemeal approach wont work. I’m ready to fight for broad legislation that will invest in and revitalize rural America for the long haul.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Iowa in 2022.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/ghurst.jpg

Glenn Hurst (D)

Healthcare: Every American deserves access to quality, affordable and reliable healthcare. I’m committed to fighting for reforms that improve access to care in Iowa, reign in the costs, and ensure that no matter what you do for a living or where you do it, you can find and afford care for your family.

Jobs: Iowans take pride in being hard workers, committed to serving their community and family. As Iowa’s Senator I would fight for jobs that not only put food on the table today, but that solve the major crises facing our nation. Through good paying jobs and careers that rebuild our communities, and a little grit, we can empower marginalized communities and slow the pace of climate change.

Rural Recovery: Our nation needs major investments everywhere, but for too long rural America has taken a backseat. For decades we’ve seen our schools consolidate, our hospitals close, and the promise of high speed internet cross county lines via grant money here and there. The piecemeal approach wont work. I’m ready to fight for broad legislation that will invest in and revitalize rural America for the long haul.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Glenn Hurst (D)

"As the candidate born from the Indivisible movement - with a background as a Physician, as a City Council Member in my rural town of Minden, and as a business owner and employer in that community and Council Bluffs – I bring our message to all Iowan’s. We have been clamoring to have it heard but it has sadly fallen on the deaf ears of uncaring Iowa politicians. But our values are no mystery. Put simply:

... We believe every American deserves access to quality, affordable and reliable healthcare. ... We want a sustainable environment of clean air, prosperous soil, and fresh waterways ... W want our rural communities to thrive ... We want a fair wage for an honest day’s work no matter our gender, our age, or the color of our skin ... We deserve safe communities and ... We all believe that equality of opportunity, privilege, and property is essential for success

These are all Iowa values. They are what we have defended from attack and neglect for the last 40 years. It is what we stand for and why we must put forward a candidate for the US Senate that will fight for these Iowa values. "

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Glenn Hurst (D)

I look for qualities in individuals that I would like to nurture, rather than placing people on a pedestal. Humans are human and liable to fail. I respect the patience and forgiveness of Nelson Mandela. I admire the courage of people who marched through fire-hoses and baseball bats during the Civil Rights Movement. I admire the serenity of those who meditate and pray and the sacrifice of those who serve in our military.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Glenn Hurst (D)

"Where Your Hands Are: Memoir of an Indivisible", chronicles the birth and rise of a political progressive movement in Iowa and Nebraska as seen through my eyes. From guiding one of the most vibrant corners of the Indivisible Movement, to developing as a political leader, to running my own campaign for office; the story unfolds with humor, spirituality, and commitment. This is the story of the climactic rise of a leader who would have never chosen this path for himself which ends on the precipice of unlimited possibility.

     The growth of Indivisible; its impact and its future, unfolds in this linear tale starting with the outcome of the 2016 US election and is woven with my reflections on my development as an activist. Key moments of influence and the life lessons that brought me to a place of action and leadership parallel the movement’s own growth.  With time reflecting on recent experiences as a medical missionary in Jamaica, back to college as an anti-apartheid activist, and through my upbringing in a military family, this is the story of success in face of often painful challenges.

Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Z7DWYV6/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Glenn Hurst (D)

Leadership

Service Faith Integrity

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Glenn Hurst (D)

I remember the Iran Hostage crisis in 1980. I would have been 11 years old and it was the first time I remember thinking of US Citizens that may not be living in our country but still being a part of it.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Glenn Hurst (D)

My first job was on the "work crew" at my high school. My family enrolled me in a private school two counties away because our local school district was small and did not have a program for students who needed challenges beyond the grade-level curriculum.

To afford this school, my parents made sacrifices. I also agreed to work off part of my tuition. For the first two years, I swept floors, emptied trash, vacuumed carpet, and performed any other tasks required. It instilled a respect for those who do this work on a daily basis and I developed pride in the outcome of our labors. Some of my most memorable educators from school were the women and me who attended to our facility's needs.

I was also privy to the disrespect my fellow classmates showed to these workers. Most of my classmates came from places of privilege and as young teens were attempting to define themselves and nurture their egos. I cannot remember any of the ones who were condescending. It was the students who showed respect and gratitude that made the impression on me. It is those peers whose names I recall to this day.

I learned respect, discipline, gratitude, and built self-esteem behind those brooms.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Glenn Hurst (D)

I find myself going back to Lord of the Flies over and over again. This allegory of society and civility, survival and humanity, leadership and power, always provokes endless opportunities to consider what might have been and what could still be today. I was never required to read this book for a class, so I snatch up copies from school book sales that have been marked up by students. This way I can pick at the ideas and the themes that captured their class.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Glenn Hurst (D)

The direction of healthcare will be decided in the next decade. It is imperative that we assure that all people in this country have access to healthcare. Establishing healthcare as a basic human right defines the character of our country. Having physicians and medical providers guiding decisions in the formative period of the transition to healthcare for all is imperative. It will be the difference between success and failure of assuring the basic human right to care is available to all.

If you are not a current senator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Glenn Hurst (D)

Committee appointment is a tool that has been used by party leaders to discipline, control, and reward subordinate members. I would push for rules that take these important duties out of the hands of partisan denizens. My expertise as a rural physician would make me an ideal candidate for the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and I would be pleased to serve on Environment and Public Works. The special subcommittee on Aging is also an area where my medical background would be useful.

Is there a particular senator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Glenn Hurst (D)

Along with being policymakers, our US Senators are looked at as examples of leadership, values, and service. Leaders like Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sander, and steadfast servants such as Senator Cory Booker all demonstrate these qualities.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Glenn Hurst (D)

Compromise is a failure of the two-party system. It is when two opposing positions both give up part of their values to find an equally poor solution. Compromise is the enemy of consensus which is finding the best answer for all. Seeking consensus is how we uncover the truth that there is more than just "them" or "us". Partisanship in the Senate must be addressed as we now face the possible loss of the one tool that forces groups to work together, the filibuster.

Campaign advertisements

This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.

Abby Finkenauer

May 19, 2022

View more ads here:

YouTube

Michael Franken

May 18, 2022

May 3, 2022

April 18, 2022

View more ads here:

YouTube

Glenn Hurst

May 20, 2022

July 29, 2021

View more ads here:

YouTube

News and conflicts in this primary

This race was featured in The Heart of the Primaries, a newsletter capturing stories related to conflicts within each major party. Click here to read more about conflict in this and other 2022 Democratic Senate primaries. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.

Endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

Election competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.^[8]
Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Iowa, 2022
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 8, 2022	November 1, 2022	October 25, 2022	October 18, 2022
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Solid Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Solid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Safe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Election spending

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.^[12] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.^[13] Click here to view the reporting schedule for candidates for U.S. Congress in 2022.

U.S. Congress campaign reporting schedule, 2022
Report	Close of books	Filing deadline
Year-end 2021	12/31/2021	1/31/2022
April quarterly	3/31/2022	4/15/2022
July quarterly	6/30/2022	7/15/2022
October quarterly	9/30/2022	10/15/2022
Pre-general	10/19/2022	10/27/2022
Post-general	11/28/2022	12/08/2022
Year-end 2022	12/31/2022	1/31/2023

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Abby Finkenauer	Democratic Party	$4,204,898	$4,186,967	$17,931	As of December 31, 2022
Michael Franken	Democratic Party	$11,468,780	$11,417,544	$51,236	As of December 31, 2022
Glenn Hurst	Democratic Party	$134,843	$105,982	$28,626	As of December 31, 2022
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2022. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

Noteworthy events

Iowa Supreme Court reinstates Finkenauer on the ballot

Finkenauer was removed from the 2022 Democratic primary on April 11, 2022, after Polk County District Court Judge Scott Beattie ruled petition signatures from Allamakee and Cedar counties did not comply with state law. This meant Finkenauer did not meet the required 100 signatures from at least 19 counties. Finkenauer appealed the decision with the Iowa Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor on April 15, finding that she qualified to appear on the primary ballot.^[14]^[15]

Election context

Ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Iowa in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Iowa, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2022
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Iowa	U.S. Senate	Ballot-qualified party	3,500, including at least 100 signatures from at least 19 counties	N/A	3/18/2022	Source
Iowa	U.S. Senate	Unaffiliated	3,500, including at least 100 signatures from at least 19 counties	N/A	8/19/2022^[16]	Source

District history

2020

General election for U.S. Senate Iowa

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Joni Ernst (R)	51.7	864,997
	Theresa Greenfield (D)	45.2	754,859
	Rick Stewart (L)	2.2	36,961
	Suzanne Herzog (Independent)	0.8	13,800
	Other/Write-in votes	0.1	1,211

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,671,828
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Iowa

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Theresa Greenfield	47.7	132,001
	Michael Franken	24.9	68,851
	Kimberly Graham	15.0	41,554
	Eddie Mauro	11.0	30,400
	Cal Woods (Unofficially withdrew)	1.2	3,372
	Other/Write-in votes	0.2	514

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 276,692
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

**U.S. Senate, Iowa General Election, 2016**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Chuck Grassley Incumbent	60.1%	926,007
	Democratic	Patty Judge	35.7%	549,460
	Libertarian	Charles Aldrich	2.7%	41,794
	New Independent Party Iowa	Jim Hennager	1.1%	17,649
	Independent	Michael Luick-Thrams	0.3%	4,441
	N/A	Write-in	0.1%	1,685
Total Votes				1,541,036
Source: Iowa Secretary of State

**U.S. Senate, Iowa Democratic Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Patty Judge	47.7%	46,322
Rob Hogg	38.9%	37,801
Thomas Fiegen	6.8%	6,573
Bob Krause	6.6%	6,425
Total Votes		97,121
Source: Iowa Secretary of State

Incumbent Chuck Grassley faced no opponent in the Republican primary on June 7, 2016.^[17]

2014

**U.S. Senate, Iowa General Election, 2014**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Joni Ernst	52.1%	588,575
	Democratic	Bruce Braley	43.8%	494,370
	Independent	Rick Stewart	2.4%	26,815
	Libertarian	Douglas Butzier	0.7%	8,232
	Independent	Ruth Smith	0.5%	5,873
	Independent	Bob Quast	0.4%	4,724
	Write-in	Other	0.1%	1,111
Total Votes				1,129,700
Source: Iowa Secretary of State Official Results

Incumbent Bruce Braley ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate.

**U.S. Senate, Iowa Republican Primary, 2014**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Joni Ernst	56.2%	88,535
Sam Clovis	18%	28,418
Mark Jacobs	16.8%	26,523
Matt Whitaker	7.5%	11,884
Scott Schaben	1.4%	2,233
Total Votes		157,593
Source: Iowa Secretary of State

2010

U.S. Senate, Iowa General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Chuck Grassley Incumbent	64.4%	718,215
	Democratic	Roxanne Conlin	33.3%	371,686
	Libertarian	John Heiderscheit	2.3%	25,290
Total Votes				1,115,191

United States Senate Democratic Primary, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	ROXANNE CONLIN	77.5%	52,715
	Democratic	BOB KRAUSE	12.8%	8,728
	Democratic	THOMAS L. FIEGEN	9.4%	6,357
	Democratic	Write-in votes	0.3%	177
Total Votes				67,977
Source: Iowa Secretary of State

United States Senate Republican Primary, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	CHUCK GRASSLEY Incumbent	98%	197,194
	Republican	Write-in votes	2%	3,926
Total Votes				201,120
Source: Iowa Secretary of State

Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.

Presidential elections

	2026 → ← 2020
U.S. Senate, Iowa
	Democratic primary; Republican primary; General election
Election details
	Filing deadline: March 18, 2022
	Primary: June 7, 2022; General: November 8, 2022; Pre-election incumbent:; Chuck Grassley (Republican)
How to vote
	Poll times: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Voting in Iowa
Race ratings
	Cook Political Report: Solid Republican; Inside Elections: Likely Republican; Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
	U.S. Senate battlegrounds; U.S. House battlegrounds; Federal and state primary competitiveness; Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2022
See also
	U.S. Senate, Iowa; U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th; Iowa elections, 2022; U.S. Congress elections, 2022; U.S. Senate elections, 2022; U.S. House elections, 2022; Alabama U.S. Senate raceAlaska U.S. Senate raceArizona U.S. Senate raceArkansas U.S. Senate raceCalifornia U.S. Senate raceColorado U.S. Senate raceConnecticut U.S. Senate raceFlorida U.S. Senate raceGeorgia U.S. Senate raceHawaii U.S. Senate raceIdaho U.S. Senate raceIllinois U.S. Senate raceIndiana U.S. Senate raceIowa U.S. Senate raceKansas U.S. Senate raceKentucky U.S. Senate raceLouisiana U.S. Senate raceMaryland U.S. Senate raceMissouri U.S. Senate raceNevada U.S. Senate raceNew Hampshire U.S. Senate raceNew York U.S. Senate raceNorth Carolina U.S. Senate raceNorth Dakota U.S. Senate raceOhio U.S. Senate raceOklahoma U.S. Senate raceOregon U.S. Senate racePennsylvania U.S. Senate raceSouth Carolina U.S. Senate raceSouth Dakota U.S. Senate raceUtah U.S. Senate raceVermont U.S. Senate raceWashington U.S. Senate raceWisconsin U.S. Senate raceSubmit

See also: Presidential voting trends in Iowa and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Iowa, 2022
District	Incumbent	Party	PVI
Iowa's 1st	Mariannette Miller-Meeks	Republican	R+3
Iowa's 2nd	Ashley Hinson	Republican	R+4
Iowa's 3rd	Cindy Axne	Democratic	R+3
Iowa's 4th	Randy Feenstra	Republican	R+16

2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines

2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2022 district lines, Iowa^[18]
District	Joe Biden	Donald Trump
Iowa's 1st	47.6%	50.5%
Iowa's 2nd	46.9%	51.3%
Iowa's 3rd	48.9%	49.3%
Iowa's 4th	36.2%	62.2%

2012-2020

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:

County-level voting pattern categories
Democratic
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Democratic	D	D	D
Trending Democratic	R	D	D
Battleground Democratic	D	R	D
New Democratic	R	R	D
Republican
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Republican	R	R	R
Trending Republican	D	R	R
Battleground Republican	R	D	R
New Republican	D	D	R

Following the 2020 presidential election, 40.1% of Iowans lived in one of the state's six Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 31.6% lived in one of 61 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Iowa was Trending Republican, having voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Iowa following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Iowa county-level statistics, 2020
Solid Democratic	6	40.1%
Solid Republican	61	31.6%
Trending Republican	32	28.3%
Total voted Democratic	6	40.1%
Total voted Republican	93	59.9%

Historical voting trends

Iowa presidential election results (1900-2020)

11 Democratic wins
20 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020
Winning Party	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	R	R	D	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	D	D	R	R

Statewide elections

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from Iowa

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Iowa.

U.S. Senate election results in Iowa
Race	Winner	Runner up
2020	51.8%	45.2%
2016	60.1%	35.7%
2014	52.1%	43.8%
2010	64.5%	33.2%
2008	62.7%	37.3%
Average	58.2	39.0

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of Iowa

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Iowa.

Gubernatorial election results in Iowa
Race	Winner	Runner up
2018	50.3%	47.5%
2014	59.0%	37.3%
2010	52.8%	43.2%
2006	54.0%	44.4%
2002	52.7%	44.5%
Average	53.8	43.4

State partisanship

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Iowa's congressional delegation as of November 2022.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Iowa, November 2022
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	1	1
Republican	2	3	5
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	4	6

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Iowa's top four state executive offices as of November 2022.

State executive officials in Iowa, November 2022
Office	Officeholder
Governor	Kim Reynolds
Lieutenant Governor	Adam Gregg
Secretary of State	Paul Pate
Attorney General	Thomas John Miller

State legislature

The tables below highlight the partisan composition of the Iowa General Assembly as of November 2022.

Iowa State Senate

Party		As of November 2022
	Democratic Party	18
	Republican Party	32
	Vacancies	0
Total		50

Iowa House of Representatives

Party		As of November 2022
	Democratic Party	40
	Republican Party	60
	Vacancies	0
Total		100

Trifecta control

As of November 2022, Iowa was a Republican trifecta, with majorities in both chambers of the state legislature and control of the governorship. The table below displays the historical trifecta status of the state.

Iowa Party Control: 1992-2022
Four years of Democratic trifectas • Eight years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22
Governor	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	S	S	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Demographics

The table below details demographic data in Iowa and compares it to the broader United States as of 2019.

Demographic Data for Iowa
	Iowa	United States
Population	3,046,355	308,745,538
Land area (sq mi)	55,853	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White	90%	72.5%
Black/African American	3.7%	12.7%
Asian	2.4%	5.5%
Native American	0.4%	0.8%
Pacific Islander	0.1%	0.2%
Other (single race)	1.2%	4.9%
Multiple	2.1%	3.3%
Hispanic/Latino	6%	18%
Education
High school graduation rate	92.1%	88%
College graduation rate	28.6%	32.1%
Income
Median household income	$60,523	$62,843
Persons below poverty level	11.5%	13.4%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

2022 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This election was a battleground race. Other 2022 battleground elections included:

External links

Suggest a link

Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

↑ Telegraph-Herald, "Finkenauer seeks to hit ground running as 2nd-youngest woman elected to Congress," January 3, 2019
↑ We Are Iowa, "Primary Preview: Finkenauer, Franken, Hurst seek Democratic nomination in 2022 US Senate race," May 6, 2022
↑ Iowa public Radio, "U.S. Senate candidate Mike Franken says he's running again because he thinks his expertise is needed to defend democracy," May 4, 2022
↑ Carrol Times Herald, "Iowa Democratic Senate hopefuls draw contrasts with each other, Grassley," May 20, 2022
↑ Carrol Times Herald, "Iowa Democratic Senate hopefuls draw contrasts with each other, Grassley," May 20, 2022
↑ Iowa Capital Dispatch, "Democratic Senate candidates seek to distinguish themselves in debate before primary," May 19, 2022
↑ In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
↑ AP News, "Democrat Finkenauer knocked off US Senate primary ballot," April 12, 2022
↑ AP News, "Iowa Supreme Court: Finkenauer qualifies for Senate ballot," April 15, 2022
↑ Ballot Access News, "Iowa Secretary of State Now Considers the Old August Petition Deadline for Independent Candidates to be in Force," April 21, 2022
↑ The New York Times "Iowa Caucus Results," June 7, 2016
↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed September 9, 2022

[show]

Iowa's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Joni Ernst (R)

Chuck Grassley (R)

Representatives

District 1

Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R)

District 2

Ashley Hinson (R)

District 3

Zach Nunn (R)

District 4

Randy Feenstra (R)

Republican Party (6)

[1] Telegraph-Herald, "Finkenauer seeks to hit ground running as 2nd-youngest woman elected to Congress," January 3, 2019

[2] We Are Iowa, "Primary Preview: Finkenauer, Franken, Hurst seek Democratic nomination in 2022 US Senate race," May 6, 2022

[3] Iowa public Radio, "U.S. Senate candidate Mike Franken says he's running again because he thinks his expertise is needed to defend democracy," May 4, 2022

[4] Carrol Times Herald, "Iowa Democratic Senate hopefuls draw contrasts with each other, Grassley," May 20, 2022

[5] Carrol Times Herald, "Iowa Democratic Senate hopefuls draw contrasts with each other, Grassley," May 20, 2022

[6] Iowa Capital Dispatch, "Democratic Senate candidates seek to distinguish themselves in debate before primary," May 19, 2022

[7] In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.

[8] Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.

[9] Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018

[10] Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018

[11] Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018

[12] Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.

[13] Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022

[14] AP News, "Democrat Finkenauer knocked off US Senate primary ballot," April 12, 2022

[15] AP News, "Iowa Supreme Court: Finkenauer qualifies for Senate ballot," April 15, 2022

[16] Ballot Access News, "Iowa Secretary of State Now Considers the Old August Petition Deadline for Independent Candidates to be in Force," April 21, 2022

[primary16-17] The New York Times "Iowa Caucus Results," June 7, 2016

[18] Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed September 9, 2022

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United States Senate election in Iowa, 2022 (June 7 Democratic primary)

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Iowa

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Campaign advertisements

Abby Finkenauer

Michael Franken

Glenn Hurst

News and conflicts in this primary

Endorsements

Election competitiveness

Polls

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Election spending

Campaign finance

Noteworthy events

Iowa Supreme Court reinstates Finkenauer on the ballot

Election context

Ballot access requirements

District history

2020

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Iowa

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Iowa

2016

2014

2010

Election analysis

Presidential elections

Cook PVI by congressional district

2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines

2012-2020

Historical voting trends

Statewide elections

U.S. Senate elections

Gubernatorial elections

State partisanship

Congressional delegation

State executive

State legislature

Iowa State Senate

Iowa House of Representatives

Trifecta control

Demographics

2022 battleground elections

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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