A former Iowa state lawmaker has announced an exploratory committee to challenge Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, in 2010.
Bob Krause, chairman of the Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus, hopes that Grassley's status as a five-term incumbent will turn out to be a weakness.
Bob Krause
"As a good farmer like Sen. Grassley would know, 51 years is a long time between crop rotations," Krause said in an interview. He added that lawmakers tend to become disconnected with constituents after spending so much time in Washington, and their perspectives change.
He also criticized Grassley's recent disapproval of AIG executive bonuses, arguing that in 1999, Grassley supported the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act which removed barriers among banking, securities and insurance companies.
Krause was 22 years old when he started his first term in the Iowa House and served for six years in the 1970s, during which he was assistant House minority whip and chairman of the House Transportation Committee. He left the Iowa General Assembly for a failed bid for state treasurer.
After that, he worked in the private sector, as regional representative to the secretary of Transportation during the Carter administration, and later at the Iowa Department of Transportation. He also served on a local school board from 1998 to 2001, but has not run for elected public office again until now.
He said he hopes to prove he's a serious candidate by raising $1 million by March 28, 2010.
Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, had more than $2.8 million in his re-election account 2009 began. And a Survey USA poll released earlier this month showed Grassley's approval rating to be at 71 percent.
In 2004, Grassley won re-election with 70.2 percent of the votge.
-- Anne L. Kim
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