Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley announced he was running for an eighth term Friday.
Grassley, who turned 88 last week, made his announcement at 4 a.m. with a gif of him embarking on his morning run.
“It’s 4 a.m. in Iowa so I’m running. I do that 6 days a week. Before I start the day I want you to know what Barbara and I have decided,” Grassley tweeted. “I’m running for re-election—a lot more to do, for Iowa. We ask and will work for your support. Will you join us?”
His announcement follows months of speculation over whether Grassley would seek another term. If he wins in 2022, he would be 95 by the end of his next term, and earlier this year several polls showed that a majority of Iowans believed he should retire. (RELATED: Chuck Grassley Returns To Work After Beating Covid-19)
It’s 4 a.m. in Iowa so I’m running. I do that 6 days a week. Before I start the day I want you to know what Barbara and I have decided.
I’m running for re-election—a lot more to do, for Iowa. We ask and will work for your support. Will you join us? #GrassleyRuns #GrassleyWorks pic.twitter.com/cwv8yu9wkx
— Grassley Works (@GrassleyWorks) September 24, 2021
Grassley is set to hold multiple campaign events Friday and Saturday, according to the Des Moines Register (DMR), and he is set to campaign alongside Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, also up for reelection.
Grassley’s announcement means that this seat is much more likely to remain in Republican hands as the GOP tries to win back the Senate next year. In 2016, Grassley won Iowa by nearly 25 points, while former President Donald Trump won the state by less than 10.
Grassley will likely face former Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer in the general election. He leads her by 18 points, according to the most recent DMR poll.
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