Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican, announced Friday morning that he will run for reelection.
Mr. Grassley, 88, gave the news in a tweet at 4 a.m. Central Daylight Time and highlighted his early daily exercise routine.
“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,” Mr. Grassley said in a tweet.
Mr. Grassley would be running for an eighth term this upcoming midterm election cycle and is expected to face former Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer. He won his last election in 2016 by an overwhelming 25 points.
Republicans, who are seeking to take back the Senate, reportedly urged Mr. Grassley to run again. Although the upper chamber stands at 50/50, Democrats hold the gavels in the committees and Vice President Kamala Harris can break key tie-breaking final legislative votes.
According to the latest Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll, the Republican incumbent leads Ms. Finkenauer among likely voters 55% to 37%. Two other Democratic have announced their plans to seek the party’s nomination.
He is known for traveling around each of Iowa’s 99 counties every year, a trip that is often known as the “full Grassley” and is sometimes copied by other candidates on the campaign trail. Should Mr. Grassley win reelection and finish an eighth term, he would be 95 years old.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, 88, is the chamber’s oldest member. Mr. Grassley is three months younger than she is.
Mr. Grassley, previously served in the line of presidential succession as the most senior GOP senator when President Trump was in the White House. He currently serves as ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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