2010 United States Senate election in Iowa explained

Election Name:2010 United States Senate election in Iowa
Country:Iowa
Flag Image:Flag of Iowa (xrmap collection).svg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:Yes
Previous Election:2004 United States Senate election in Iowa
Previous Year:2004
Next Election:2016 United States Senate election in Iowa
Next Year:2016
Election Date:November 2, 2010
Image1:Sen Chuck Grassley official.jpg
Nominee1:Chuck Grassley
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:718,215
Percentage1:64.35%
Nominee2:Roxanne Conlin
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:371,686
Percentage2:33.30%
Map Size:240px
U.S. Senator
Before Election:Chuck Grassley
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Chuck Grassley
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 2010 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 2, 2010, alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections in Iowa. The party primary elections were held on June 8, 2010.[1] Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley won reelection to a sixth term. This was the first time since 1986 where the losing Democratic United States Senate nominee carried any of the counties in Iowa for this seat.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Campaign

Three Democrats sought the Democratic nomination. Former State Representative and Iowa Department of Transportation official Bob Krause drew attention for implying that Grassley had been in office too long, remarking to supporters in Des Moines: "As a good farmer, Sen. Grassley must recognize that 51 years, or 58 years at the end of his term, is a long time to go without rotating crops."[2] Both Krause and former State Senator Tom Fiegen cited Grassley's support of deregulating the financial services industry as reasons for running. Krause said, "Please remember that Farmer Grassley was one that opened the barn door and let the cow out at AIG,"[2] while Fiegen, a bankruptcy lawyer, made reducing unemployment and tightening regulation of the financial services industry the cornerstones of his campaign.[3]

Former Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan said that he had recruited trial lawyer Roxanne Conlin to challenge Grassley.[4] Kiernan's virtual endorsement of Conlin prior to her announcement[5] drew the ire of party members, as it is counter to party rules when there is more than one candidate from the party competing in a primary race. Conlin had been criticized for being unwilling to debate her primary opponents,[6] and for being unfamiliar with and unsupportive of her own party's platform.[7]

On health care, Fiegen and Krause supported a public option,[8] [9] while Conlin didn't state a position, which she had been criticized for. Krause and Feigen claimed she supported supply-side economics.[10] She also displayed an unfamiliarity with the Iowa Democratic Party's platform, repeatedly claiming there was no platform for her to support until after the June 12, 2010 convention.[7] [11] [12] [13]

Results

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Incumbent Chuck Grassley started the campaign moderately popular, but his approval ratings dropped somewhat during the campaign.[14] However, the seat continued to be considered to be "Safe Republican" by many sources, with CQ Politics noting that Grassley is "one of Iowa's most durable politicians."[15]

Conlin described herself as a "prairie progressive." She supported the recent landmark case of Varnum v. Brien, which legalized gay marriage in the state. She also supported repeal of "don't ask, don't tell."[16]

Before the election, former political advisor John Maxwell claimed that Grassley would have his toughest race since his first U.S. Senate election in 1980, where he defeated incumbent John Culver with 53% of the vote. Grassley won all of his four re-election bids with nearly 70% of the vote against unknown opponents.[17] Grassley won the election with 64.35% of the vote, which, in fact was his closest election since 1980.

Debates

Grassley and Conlin agreed to one debate. It was on October 26 on Des Moines radio station WHO and Iowa Public Television.[18]

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
Cook Political Report[19] October 26, 2010
Rothenberg[20] October 22, 2010
RealClearPolitics[21] October 26, 2010
Sabato's Crystal Ball[22] October 21, 2010
CQ Politics[23] October 26, 2010

Polling

Poll sourceDates administeredChuck
Grassley (R)		Roxanne
Conlin (D)
DailyKos/Research 2000[24] October 12–14, 200951%39%
Rasmussen Reports[25] January 26, 201059%31%
KCCI-TV[26] February 15–17, 201056%35%
Rasmussen Reports[27] February 22, 201053%36%
Rasmussen Reports[28] March 17, 201055%36%
Rasmussen Reports[29] April 29, 201053%40%
KCCI[30] May 3–5, 201049%40%
Public Policy Polling[31] May 25–27, 201057%31%
Rasmussen Reports[32] June 14, 201054%37%
Rasmussen Reports[33] August 5, 201055%35%
Des Moines Register[34] September 19–22, 201061%30%
Rasmussen ReportsSeptember 22–23, 201055%37%
Des Moines Register[35] October 26–29, 201061%30%

Fundraising

Candidate (party)ReceiptsDisbursementsCash on handDebt
Charles Grassley (R)$5,566,686$4,962,347$3,457,651$6,913,216
Roxanne Conlin (D)$3,070,816$2,653,914$416,901$100,000
Source: Federal Election Commission[36]

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

External links

Official candidate websites (Archived)

Notes and References

  1. http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/elections/2010/Winnerlist.pdf Winner List Primary Election – June 8, 2010
  2. News: Democrat says Grassley has been in Senate too long . Thomas . Beaumont . KCCI . March 29, 2009 .
  3. Web site: Iowa Democrat to Challenge Grassley - The Eye (CQ Politics) . Blogs.cqpolitics.com . August 12, 2009 . June 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090818045448/http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/08/iowa-democrat-to-challenge-gra.html . August 18, 2009 . dead . mdy-all .
  4. Web site: Conlin approached about Senate race in January . https://archive.today/20120710064459/http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/covering-iowa-politics/2009/10/26/conlin-approached-about-senate-race-in-january . dead . July 10, 2012 . GazetteOnline.com . October 26, 2009 . June 14, 2010 .
  5. Web site: Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan: September 25, 2009 . Iowa Public Television . September 25, 2009 . June 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091005221240/http://www.iptv.org/iowapress/transcript_detail.cfm?ipShowNum=3703 . October 5, 2009 . dead .
  6. Web site: Democrat senate hopefuls turn attacks to each other . Iowa Independent . May 4, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110717025611/http://iowaindependent.com/32031/democrat-senate-hopefuls-turn-attacks-on-each-other . July 17, 2011 .
  7. Web site: Replay: Live chat with U.S. Senate candidate Roxanne Conlin . https://archive.today/20120709103507/http://gazetteonline.com/breaking-news/2010/04/28/live-chat-u-s-senate-candidate-roxanne-conlin-noon . dead . July 9, 2012 . GazetteOnline.com . April 28, 2010 . June 14, 2010 .
  8. Web site: Issues . June 4, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185500/http://fiegenforussenate.com/issues.htm . March 3, 2016 .
  9. Web site: Krause For Iowa's Future - On The Issues: Health Care . Krauseforiowa.com . May 17, 2010 . June 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006233124/http://www.krauseforiowa.com/issue.asp?issueid=7&name=Health%20Care . October 6, 2011 . dead .
  10. Web site: Sullivan . Adam B . On the issues, Conlin sees few differences with her Democratic rivals . Iowa Independent . May 26, 2010 . June 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100529054700/http://iowaindependent.com/34996/on-the-issues-conlin-sees-few-differences-with-her-democratic-rivals . May 29, 2010 . dead .
  11. Web site: Conlin attacked over ties to lobbyist during second U.S. Senate forum . IowaPolitics.com . May 28, 2010 . June 14, 2010 . October 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101014003333/http://iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=198102 . dead .
  12. Web site: Iowa Democrats . June 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722144405/http://iowademocrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/platform.pdf . July 22, 2011 . dead .
  13. Web site: Documents . Iowa Democratic Party . June 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100701225842/http://iowademocrats.org/about/docs/ . July 1, 2010 . dead .
  14. Web site: IA Sr Sen Approval . SurveyUSA . June 14, 2010.
  15. Web site: Senate Race Ratings Map for 2010 . CQ Politics . September 29, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100831224755/http://innovation.cqpolitics.com/senate2010_map . August 31, 2010 .
  16. Web site: LGBT Issues Roxanne Conlin for Iowa . Roxanneforiowa.com . August 21, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100812170340/http://roxanneforiowa.com/index.php/pages/lgbt-issues/ . August 12, 2010 . dead . mdy-all .
  17. Web site: Analysts: Roxanne Conlin likely to be Chuck Grassley's top rival since '80 Des Moines Register Staff Blogs . Blogs.desmoinesregister.com . June 11, 2010 . August 21, 2010 . https://archive.today/20120707204304/http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/06/11/analysts-roxanne-conlin-likely-to-be-chuck-grassleys-top-rival-since-80/ . July 7, 2012 . dead . mdy-all .
  18. Web site: desmoinesdem . 2010-10-26 . IA-Sen: Grassley-Conlin debate discussion thread . 2024-06-03 . Bleeding Heartland . en.
  19. Web site: Senate . . October 26, 2010.
  20. Web site: Senate Ratings . . October 26, 2010.
  21. Web site: Battle for the Senate . . October 26, 2010.
  22. Web site: 2010 Senate Ratings . . October 26, 2010 . October 28, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101028092918/http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/category/2010-senate/ . dead .
  23. Web site: Race Ratings Chart: Senate . . October 26, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101028234525/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-senate . October 28, 2010 .
  24. http://www.dailykos.com/statepoll/2009/10/14/IA/398 DailyKos/Research 2000
  25. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/iowa/toplines/toplines_2010_election_iowa_senate_january_26_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  26. http://www.kcci.com/politics/22603881/detail.html KCCI-TV
  27. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/iowa/toplines/toplines_2010_election_iowa_senate_february_18_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  28. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/iowa/toplines/toplines_2010_election_iowa_senate_march_17_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  29. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/iowa/election_2010_iowa_senate Rasmussen Reports
  30. http://www.kcci.com/politics/23478461/detail.html KCCI
  31. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_IA_604.pdf Public Policy Polling
  32. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/iowa/election_2010_iowa_senate Rasmussen Reports
  33. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/iowa/toplines/toplines_2010_iowa_senate_august_5_2010 Rasmussen Reports
  34. https://archive.today/20130121111318/http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100927/NEWS09/9270310/Iowa-Poll-Grassley-leads-big-over-Conlin Des Moines Register
  35. https://archive.today/20130121105748/http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101031/NEWS09/101031012 Des Moines Register
  36. Web site: 2010 House and Senate Campaign Finance for Iowa . fec.gov . July 25, 2010 .

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