The 2016 United States Senate election in Iowa was held November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Iowa, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Incumbent Republican Senator Chuck Grassley won reelection to a seventh term in office. Primary elections were held June 7, 2016,Iowa Secretary of State, Primary Election, sos.iowa.gov with Grassley facing no primary opposition, and former lieutenant governor Patty Judge winning the Democratic nomination. Grassley won a seventh term in a sixth consecutive landslide and outperformed Donald Trump, who also won the state that year; nevertheless, this represented Grassley's worst re-election performance at the time since his first race in 1980, until 6 years later when Michael Franken would not only make Grassley fall below 60% of the vote, but also cut his winning percentage in half and flip several counties (namely Black Hawk, Linn, Story and Polk) that Grassley carried in this election.

Background Republican Chuck Grassley was first elected to the Senate in 1980, defeating Democratic incumbent John Culver by 53% to 46%. Since then, Grassley has been re-elected five times, most recently in 2010, on each occasion taking at least 64% of the vote.

Despite speculation that Grassley, who turned 83 years old in 2016, might retire, he announced in September 2013 that he was "making plans to run for re-election", but added that "it's not taking much of my time. I'm concentrating on doing my job for Iowans."

Republican primary Candidates Declared Chuck Grassley, incumbent senator

Withdrawn Robert Rees, talk radio host

Declined Pat Grassley, state representative and grandson of Chuck Grassley Steve King, U.S. Representative Tom Latham, former U.S. Representative

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Tom Fiegen, former state senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010 Rob Hogg, state senator Patty Judge, former lieutenant governor and former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bob Krause, former state representative, nominee for state treasurer in 1978, candidate for Mayor of Waterloo in 1982 and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010

Withdrawn Ray Zirkelbach, former state representative

Declined Christie Vilsack, former First Lady of Iowa and nominee for Iowa's 4th congressional district in 2012 Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture and former governor of Iowa Chet Culver, former governor of Iowa Michael Gronstal, Majority Leader of the Iowa Senate and Chairman of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Dave Loebsack, U.S. Representative (running for re-election) Andy McGuire, chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2006 Tyler Olson, former state representative, former chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, and candidate for governor in 2014

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin PattyJudge RobHogg BobKrause TomFiegen None/Other UndecidedDes Moines RegisterDes Moines Register May 30 – June 2, 2016 542 ± 4.2% 42% 25% 6% 5% 6% 15%KBUR-AM 1490KBUR-AM 1490 May 31 – June 1, 2016 1,361 ± 3.0% 37% 31% 3% 6% – 23%

Results

General election Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 2, 2016 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 7, 2016 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2016 Daily Kos November 8, 2016 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2016

Debates Dates Location Grassley Judge LinkOctober 19, 2016Sioux City, IowaFull debate - C-SPAN

Polling

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ChuckGrassley (R) PattyJudge (D) Other UndecidedSurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey November 1–7, 2016 1,781 ± 4.6% 57% 39% — 4%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey Oct 31–Nov 6, 2016 1,598 ± 4.6% 56% 39% — 5%Des Moines Register/SelzerDes Moines Register/Selzer November 1–4, 2016 800 ± 3.5% 56% 33% 2% 4%Emerson CollegeEmerson College November 1–3, 2016 700 ± 3.6% 60% 32% 4% 5%Loras CollegeLoras College November 1–3, 2016 500 ± 4.4% 53% 37% 1% 8%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey Oct 28–Nov 3, 2016 1,469 ± 4.6% 57% 39% — 4%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey Oct 27–Nov 2, 2016 1,226 ± 4.6% 57% 40% — 3%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey Oct 26–Nov 1, 2016 867 ± 4.6% 56% 41% — 3%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 25–31, 2016 984 ± 4.6% 56% 41% — 3%Quinnipiac UniversityQuinnipiac University October 20–26, 2016 791 ± 3.5% 56% 38% — 5%Washington Post/SurveyMonkeyWashington Post/SurveyMonkey October 8–16, 2016 1,135 ± 0.5% 56% 40% — 5%Google Consumer SurveysGoogle Consumer Surveys October 12–14, 2016 523 ± 4.2% 56% 41% — 3%The Times-Picayune/LucidThe Times-Picayune/Lucid October 7–10, 2016 917 ± 3.0% 51% 39% — 11%Des Moines Register/SelzerDes Moines Register/Selzer October 3–6, 2016 642 ± 3.5% 53% 36% 2% 6%Loras CollegeLoras College September 20–22, 2016 491 ± 4.4% 54% 37% — 9%Quinnipiac UniversityQuinnipiac University September 13–21, 2016 612 ± 4.0% 55% 43% — 2%Monmouth UniversityMonmouth University September 12–14, 2016 404 ± 4.9% 56% 39% 2% 3%RABA ResearchRABA Research September 6–8, 2016 1,054 ± 3.0% 50% 37% — 13%Emerson CollegeEmerson College Aug 31–Sept 1, 2016 600 ± 3.9% 51% 40% 3% 6%Public Policy Polling August 30–31, 2016 827 ± 3.4% 49% 43% — 8%CBS News/YouGovCBS News/YouGov August 17–19, 2016 987 ± 4.0% 45% 38% 1% 15%Quinnipiac UniversityQuinnipiac University August 9–16, 2016 846 ± 3.4% 51% 42% — 6%Suffolk UniversitySuffolk University August 8–10, 2016 500 ± 4.4% 52% 42% — 6%NBC/WSJ/MaristNBC/WSJ/Marist August 3–7, 2016 899 ± 3.3% 52% 42% 1% 5%CBS News/YouGovCBS News/YouGov July 13–15, 2016 998 ± 4.8% 45% 37% 2% 16%Monmouth UniversityMonmouth University July 8–11, 2016 401 ± 4.9% 52% 42% — 6%NBC/WSJ/MaristNBC/WSJ/Marist July 5–10, 2016 822 ± 3.4% 52% 42% 1% 5%Loras CollegeLoras College June 24–28, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 46% 45% — 9%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 22–23, 2016 897 ± 3.3% 46% 39% — 14%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 9–13, 2016 630 ± 3.9% 48% 41% — 11%

with Rob Hogg Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ChuckGrassley (R) RobHogg (D) UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling January 8–10, 2016 1,901 ± 2.3% 52% 28% 19%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling December 10–13, 2015 1,426 ± 2.6% 54% 29% 17%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling October 30–November 1, 2015 1,668 ± 2.4% 53% 29% 18%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling August 7–9, 2015 1,500 ± 2.5% 52% 28% 20%

with Tom Fiegen Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ChuckGrassley (R) TomFiegen (D) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling January 8–10, 2016 1,901 ± 2.3% 53% 29% 18%Public Policy Polling December 10–13, 2015 1,426 ± 2.6% 54% 29% 16%Public Policy Polling October 30–November 1, 2015 1,668 ± 2.4% 54% 30% 16%Public Policy Polling August 7–9, 2015 1,500 ± 2.5% 53% 30% 17%

with Bob Krause Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ChuckGrassley (R) BobKrause (D) UndecidedPublic Policy Polling January 8–10, 2016 1,901 ± 2.3% 52% 28% 20%Public Policy Polling December 10–13, 2015 1,426 ± 2.6% 53% 28% 19%Public Policy Polling October 30–November 1, 2015 1,668 ± 2.4% 52% 28% 21%Public Policy Polling August 7–9, 2015 1,500 ± 2.5% 51% 29% 20%

with Tom Vilsack Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ChuckGrassley (R) TomVilsack (D) UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 25–28, 2014 1,192 ± 2.8% 51% 42% 7%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 15–19, 2014 914 ± 3.3% 49% 39% 12%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling February 20–23, 2014 869 ± 3.3% 48% 41% 11%

Results

By congressional district Grassley won all four congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat. District Grassley Judge Representative 58% 38%Rod Blum 56% 39%Dave Loebsack 58% 37%David Young 68% 28%Steve King

References

External links Official campaign websites (Archived) Chuck Grassley (R) for Senate Patty Judge (D) for Senate