Admiral Mike Franken

Don’t forget that voting ends in the Iowa primaries this coming Tuesday June 7th. For Democrats in Iowa the premiere race is selecting who will be facing Grassley in the midterm election. While most of our races have one candidate, the senate primary has three very good candidates in Abby Finkenaeur, Admiral Mike Franken and Dr. Glenn Hurst.

It has been difficult to decide among the three. The overriding consideration we had is simply this – who can beat Grassley. That will be no easy task. It will take tons of hard concentrated work, the ability to raise lots of money,  a clear message that distinguishes the candidate and some stumbles from Grassley.

One such stumble seems to have appeared as Grassley’s relationship with the NRA rears its very ugly head following the slaughter of children in Uvalde, Texas by a young man who was able to very easily get a machine meant for killing. As if that tragedy wasn’t horrifying enough, since Uvalde there have been 20+ mass murders in the US including a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma Wednesday.

Admiral Franken’s email:

The firearm industry trade association – the literal gun lobby – just honored my opponent Senator Chuck Grassley with an award: Legislator of the Year.

“Senator Grassley is an unyielding champion of the firearm and ammunition industry on Capitol Hill,” they said.

Last year in the Senate, Chuck Grassley single-handedly blocked the most common-sense of gun bills: Universal background checks. Why? Because the NRA and the gun lobby have given him nearly $300,000 to get reelected.

President Biden asked last week, “When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?”

Well, I have my own question for Grassley: “How many gunshot victims will it take for you to vote for responsible firearm ownership legislation?” Iowa parents, students, and voters are waiting for a number…

I’ll never take money from the gun lobby. We have a gun violence epidemic in this country, and the only way we’re going to pass logical gun measures is if we elect more sensible Democrats willing to stand up to the NRA.

I’m ready for the fight, but I need grassroots donors like you behind me if I’m going to be able to take on all the NRA’s blood money and win.

(Donations to the Franken campaign can be made here:  https://frankenforiowa.com )

Iowans need to know that Grassley is much more concerned about protecting his huge contribution from the gun lobby than he is about Iowa’s children. We can expect Grassley to act as if he will NOW do some little pittance to regulate guns. Be assured it will be cleared with the NRA as it will be for all Republican senators.

Last week Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr made an impassioned plea calling out the small minority that blocks sensible gun regulation in this country – the 50 Republican senators. As Kerr speaks I can easily imagine him calling out Grassley by name. (3 minutes)

As Admiral Franken noted in his email, Grassley was the gun lobby’s Legislator of the Year. Do you really think he will change? After 42 years of Grassley’s act I doubt he will.

This is the year that we must throw out the corrupt politicians in Washington and replace them with those who will do what we want. Removing Grassley will finally send the message that politicians must answer to their constituents. Your vote has never been more important!