Iowa's Senate Race Gets A Jolt

As we've been saying lately, Chuck Grassley's policy of naked and hyper-partisan obstructionism against President Obama's SCOTUS nominee has changed the dynamics of the Iowa Senate race. Once thought a safe seat, Iowa is now in play. Remember, Obama beat McCain there 54-44% and then beat Romney statewide 52-46%. There's no reason to think that a good, inspiring candidate wouldn't have a legitimate shot against Grassley, especially if Trump or Cruz is on the top of the Republican ticket.

Problemo: Chuck Schumer. He and Tester had the lame idea of recruiting a corporate shill to run as a Democrat, even though 3 credible Democrats candidates had already been running for months. One, Robb Hogg, a progressive state legislator had managed to win the support of the entire Democratic political class and another, Thomas Fiegen, has managed to make himself the carrier of Bernie's political revolution in the state. But, leave it to Little Chucky Schmucky; he found widely disliked DINO, Patty Judge. She's the wrong candidate for Iowa in a year when Iowa voters are looking for authenticity and an alternative to a corrupted establishment that has proven itself to not give a crap about ordinary working families. Being recruited and pushed by Wall Street's top hatchet man in Congress, Schumer, is the kiss of death in Iowa.

Blue America has not chosen between Rob Hogg and Thomas Fiegen-- although Fiegen is on the Bernie Congress page and many of our members are contributing to him. I asked him to catch us up a little with the dynamics of this race since Grassley went off the reservation and Schumer found himself a Schumercrat to run. We have invited a Rob Hogg partisan to make the case for him and we hope to publish that in a few days.

The 2016 Iowa Senate Race
by Thomas Fiegen

Citizen frustration has reached a boiling point in 2016. It is clear that everything in Washington, D.C. is for sale to the highest bidder. The disparity between the top 1% and working people has pushed our country to the breaking point.

I have represented working people all of my life. I see the frustration every day. I know the rules are rigged against them. I also know how to change those rules. I have the heart, the knowledge and the experience to be the next U.S. Senator from Iowa.

If we are going to preserve our democracy, the first step the next Senator from Iowa must take is to end the legalized bribery we call campaign contributions. Chuck Grassley has repeatedly sold his vote to people like convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Check out Abramoff’s interview on NPR about his $100,0000 contribution to Grassley.



Neither Rob Hogg nor Patty Judge will end the corrupt money in politics. The truth is no status-quo politician will end a system they rely on.

Iowa’s next Senator will write the next Farm Bill. Consumers are demanding food that is sustainable, local, fresh, healthy, includes GMO labeling and removes poisons from our environment. I have the extensive ag background and the fire to get it done. Do we really want Chuck Grassley, who has allowed the unparalleled consolidation of our farms sitting there another six years? How about Big Ag Patty Judge, or bank and insurance lawyer Rob Hogg?

The next Senator from Iowa must make the economy work for the 99%. It starts with rejecting bad trade deals, then passing Glass-Steagall, getting aggressive about antitrust, passing a minimum wage increase, finding an affordable college/student debt solution and improving retirement security. I have a Masters Degree in economics and taught college economics for almost ten years. I will approach all of these issues with an unconditional loyalty to working people.

The next Senator from Iowa will "advise and consent" on court nominations. I have reservations about Judge Garland’s pro-prosecutor bias and deference to the Executive Branch. Patty Judge said, "I’m not the lawyer.  I don’t know anything about that." That attitude alone disqualifies her from being a Senator. Meanwhile Rob Hogg has spent his professional life representing banks and insurance companies.

It is time for a U.S. Senator from Iowa to demonstrate unconditional loyalty to the working people of Iowa. I am that U.S. Senator.