2022 United States Senate election in Iowa


The 2022 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Iowa. Incumbent Republican Senator Chuck Grassley defeated Democratic nominee Michael Franken to win re-election to an eighth term.
Grassley was first elected in 1980 and was most recently re-elected in 2016. Grassley, who turned 89 years old on September 17, 2022, ran for reelection to an eighth term. With U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy retiring the same year, he became the second-oldest person ever to be re-elected for another term, on January 3, 2023, upon the departure of Patrick Leahy from the United States Senate Chuck Grassley became the most senior member in the Senate, and on January 4, 2023, he became the longest-serving Republican senator in history, as well as the most senior member of Congress since January 3, 2023.
The Republican Party flipped Iowa's 3rd congressional district in the concurrent House election, thus marking the first time since 1957 that Iowa had an entirely Republican congressional delegation.
Despite his victory, this was Grassley's closest Senate race since he was first elected in 1980 and worst performance as he did not crack 60% of the vote. Franken also beat Grassley in Linn, Story, and Polk counties, all of which Grassley had won in every election since 1986. In addition, this election was the first time that Grassley lost Black Hawk County. This election also saw the Class III seat's worst performance by a Republican since 1962, and best performance by a Democrat since 1980.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Former U.S. Representative Abby Finkenauer was the original frontrunner in the Democratic primary, with her campaign being backed by several prominent politicians and labor unions, as well as the influential political action committee EMILY's List. However, in an upset, retired vice-admiral Michael Franken managed to slowly overtake her as the perceived frontrunner, assisted by an effective campaign that highlighted his leadership credentials.

Fundraising

Endorsements

Polling

Graphical summary

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Abby
Finkenauer		Michael
Franken		Glenn
Hurst		Undecided
Change Research May 4–8, 2022866 ± 4.0%40%42%4%14%
Change Research April 6–11, 2022416 ± 6.3%53%26%7%14%
GBAO March 30 – April 3, 2022600 ± 4.0%64%15%6%15%

Results

General election

Predictions

Debates

Endorsements

Polling

Aggregate polls

Graphical summary

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Chuck
Grassley 		Michael
Franken 		OtherUndecided
Selzer & Co.October 31 – November 3, 2022801 ± 3.5%53%41%4%2%
Cygnal October 26–27, 2022600 ± 4.0%54%43%–3%
CiviqsOctober 22–25, 2022623 ± 5.2%52%44%3%2%
The Tarrance Group October 15–19, 2022600 ± 4.1%53%42%–4%
Change Research October 14–18, 20221,008 ± 3.3%48%45%–6%
Selzer & Co.October 9–12, 2022620 ± 3.9%46%43%8%3%
Emerson CollegeOctober 2–4, 2022959 ± 3.1%49%38%4%9%
Cygnal October 2–4, 2022600 ± 4.0%54%40%–6%
Change Research September 3–8, 20221,143 ± 3.0%48%44%–8%
Cygnal July 13–14, 2022600 ± 4.0%52%43%–5%
Selzer & Co.July 10–13, 2022597 ± 4.0%47%39%7%5%
Change Research June 30 – July 4, 20221,488 ± 2.7%49%44%–7%
Change Research April 6–11, 20221,070 ± 4.0%45%42%–13%

Chuck Grassley vs. Abby Finkenauer

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Chuck
Grassley 		Abby
Finkenauer 		OtherUndecided
Moore Information Group March 8–13, 2022400 ± 5.0%45%36%6%14%
Cygnal February 20–22, 2022610 ± 3.9%53%39%–8%
Data for Progress December 2–13, 2021770 ± 4.0%53%39%–8%
Cygnal October 18–19, 2021600 ± 4.0%55%39%–6%
Selzer & Co.September 12–15, 2021620 ± 3.9%55%37%1%7%

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Grassley won all four congressional districts.
DistrictGrassleyFrankenRepresentative
53%47%Mariannette Miller-Meeks
55%45%Ashley Hinson
51%48%Cindy Axne
51%48%Zach Nunn
66%34%Randy Feenstra