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CQ report: Patrick Grassley to follow in grandpa Chuck's footsteps in 2016?

Can we unseat Sen. Grassley in 2010? 

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/06/a-younger-grassley-already-sha.html  

A Younger Grassley Already Sharing the Iowa GOP Spotlight

By CQ Staff | June 4, 2009 12:59 PM | | Comments (0)

Iowa Republican Charles E. Grassley is heavily favored to win a sixth Senate term when he runs in 2010. And he will not be the only member of his family seeking re-election in Iowa: Pat Grassley is going for a third term in the state House.

 

But unlike many political “dynasties,” the Grassley duo is not father and son. Rather it is grandfather and grandson. None of the elder Grassley's five children ever delved into politics.

“Maybe it skips a generation,” said Pat Grassley, who recently turned 26 years old.

… Article continues in the link above.

 

Tags: Congressional Quarterly, Grassley

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  • I've been predicting this

    Chuck Grassley will retire in 2016, when his grandson is old enough to run for U.S. Senate. But will Iowa Republicans with much more political experience clear the field for the young Grassley? It will be interesting to see.

    desmoinesdem  Fri 5 Jun 10:28 AM

    • Grassley 2016

      I agree 100%. I don’t think that Grassley would have any trouble clearing the field, though. Gramps has more than enough clout to hold down most candidates. All he has to worry about is a renegade like King.

      The other scenario to 2016 would be for a Republican governor to win this year and be in office in 2013 [the year Pat turns 30]. Chuck would then resign/retire midterm–making sure that Pat got appointed to the seat. Then Pat would be up for re-election in 2016 and therefore harder to primary or beat in the general. But that scenario hinges on a Republican governorship, which seems like a toss up at best.  

      american007  Fri 5 Jun 7:38 PM

      • clearing the field

        might not be so easy. Grassley has clout, but a lot of right-wingers don’t like him much anymore. There would be room for a strong challenger to Pat Grassley.

        Your second scenario is intriguing, but are you sure Pat Grassley wouldn’t have to face voters in 2014? Some states say that a person appointed to fill a vacant Senate seat has to face the voters in the next general election, which is why Kirsten Gillibrand and Roland Burris will be up next year.

        A Republican governor would be spending a hell of a lot of political capital in appointing a 30-year-old to replace Chuck Grassley. Iowa would lose a lot of seniority and (probably) federal money.

        Anyway, Chuck Grassley is going to be ranking member of the Judiciary Committee in 2013–will he want to miss half of his last term in that position? Pat Grassley would be 100th in seniority at that point.

        desmoinesdem  Sat 6 Jun 10:14 AM

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