Report: Grassley Starts Fundraising For 2022 Race

Sen. Chuck Grassley has begun fundraising for a possible Senate reelection campaign that some are still skeptical will actually happen. Punchbowl News reported this afternoon the longtime senator had started fundraising for his 8th term in office.

Grassley would be 89 upon swearing in for his next term if he does run and win reelection.

However, whether he really pulls the trigger on yet another campaign is an open question. Last week, Grassley formally filed paperwork with the FEC for a 2022 reelection run. But missing from that move was any sort of formal announcement or major rollout. In previous weeks, Grassley has said that he won’t make a final decision until later this fall.

[inline-ad id=”1″]

Notably, a Republican-aligned blog close to Grassley and other top Republicans’ advisers specifically characterized it as a “possible 2022 run for re-election.” Were this the real thing, it’s unlikely it would be handled in this manner.

Some in Iowa politics speculate that Grassley is delaying in order to give plenty of planning time for the Republican establishment’s preferred pick for a nominee (and to undercut any candidates favored by the Donald Trump base). Republican state Sen. Jim Carlin has already launched a bid for the Senate seat based largely off the Trump lies about a stolen election.

Instead, it seems Grassley may be engaged in a slow drip of news to make it appear like he is running, simply in order to freeze the field. Today’s fundraising note would be one more part of that.

by Pat Rynard
Posted 3/11/21

Iowa Starting Line is an independently owned progressive news outlet devoted to providing unique, insightful coverage on Iowa news and politics. We need reader support to continue operating — please donate here. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more coverage.

[inline-ad id=”3″]