2022 Iowa Senate Voters Guide
Michael Franken (D) vs Chuck Grassley (R)
The Candidates
Legal. Overturning Roe v. Wade is “a direct attack on women and 100% unacceptable.” Supports a woman’s right to full autonomy. Opposes limits to abortion such as parental consent or defining fetal viability; “the woman and her doctor” should decide.
Mostly ban. Voted against a bill prohibiting government restrictions on abortion rights. Supports the overturning of Roe v. Wade as “flawed precedent;” “the unalienable right to life… must be protected.” But calls restricting travel for abortions “unconstitutional.”
Yes. “Climate change is the most clear and direct threat to the survival of our planet and the future of our children and grandchildren.” Supports a carbon tax, wind and solar power, and “carbon-reduction goals for the farm sector.”
Mixed. Supports biofuels and wind energy tax credits. Sponsored the Growing Climate Solutions Act to encourage carbon trapping on farms. Supports easing regulations on oil and gas production for energy independence.
Increase. Would “break up monopolies and deconcentrate agribusiness,” and “advance policies that create equity.” Wants a better electric grid and more funding for public education.
Mixed. Voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Voted against the American Rescue Plan stimulus; “it wasn’t a good spend.” Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, with major public investments; it will “hurt American agriculture.”
No response found.
Critical race theory is “divisive” and separates “groups of Americans into different degrees of oppressor and oppressed.” The US needs education that is “accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling.”
Tighten. Says Iowa can be a “fabulous spot for environmental concerns” by developing wind, solar, and ethanol for electricity. Would “advance environmental justice,” and see “soil and water stewardship…adequately incentivized” in the 2023 farm bill.
Loosen. Sponsored the American Energy Independence Act of 2022 to ease regulations on energy production and pull the US from the Paris Climate Agreement. Voted to repeal the Stream Protection Rule that had protected waterways from coal mining waste.
More. Supports a combination of background checks and gun education used by the US military. “I’m not anti-gun. I’m a gun owner. But I’m a responsible gun owner.” Suggests “fingerprinting a firearm” for ballistics and “tracking it through its life.”
Less. Voted against the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act which expands background checks and funds state-level red-flag laws. Had “specific concerns about safeguarding constitutional due process rights” that prevented him from supporting the bill.
Yes. Supports “all-encompassing” health care for all Americans. Supports expansion of Medicare to children under 5 and adults over 50. Supports reducing prescription drug prices. Says COVID-19 vaccine mandate for military personnel has saved lives.
Mixed. Has voted to repeal Affordable Care Act. Introduced bills to enhance access to life-saving care for children with complex medical conditions, and lower some prescription drug prices. Opposes “the heavy hand of federal govt mandating the vaccine on private biz.”
Says “Trump’s wall is idiotic.” Supports redoubling “efforts to increase immigration” and protecting DACA “DREAMers.”
Is against Biden’s “open borders;” “every one of them” crossing the border is “violating our laws.” Supports citizenship for DACA Dreamers. “The kids” can’t “be held responsible for” the parents’ actions.
Easier. “Will always stand with teachers and unions” and “UAW (the United Auto Workers) and their workers.” Is “a big fan of union rights” and says “This is the time to invest in unions, and we will all be better for it.”
Harder. Opposed PRO Act that expands workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain. Co-sponsored National Right-to-Work Act to end, at a national level, the practice of requiring of union membership as a condition of employment.
Expand. For preserving and expanding “equality” and Iowa’s legacy as one of the first states “to legalize gay marriage.” Supports the bill to codify same-sex marriage. “It’s a God-given right that we should have someone we love as our partner in life. So of course we should codify” same-sex marriage.
Less. Opposes Equality Act that “prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation.” In 2015: “Marriage is between one man and one woman.” Voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act in 2013; shelters haven’t been shown to refuse services to people “on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Legal. “Remove cannabis as a Schedule 1 controlled substance…and legalize it at the Federal level.” Medicinal or “recreational use” of marijuana, controlled like alcohol, is “absolutely fine and well overdue.”
Ban. “There is unfortunately not enough research into the impacts of marijuana use in the long term;” supports education and prevention. Sponsored bill to study medical impact. Says recreational use, “particularly for adolescent or pregnant users,” can be harmful or addictive.
Raise to $15 per hour. “A family of one” can’t “live on minimum wage” today. Says with $15 minimum wage, “31% of Iowans” would see a boosted pay and “64% of those” are women.
Raise to $9.75 or $10.25 to match inflation from the last minimum wage increase in 2007. Says a raise to $15 could lose 1.4 million jobs. Voted against the minimum wage amendment (to $15 by 2025) in the COVID-19 relief bill.
The criminal justice system unfairly penalizes “black and brown communities.” But is not “a defund the police person.” Called for an investigation into the police officers involved in George Floyd’s death.
Opposes defunding the police. Was “outraged” at George Floyd’s death, police brutality and racism must be addressed. Co-sponsored bill to encourage ending chokeholds. Opposes federal standards on police conduct.
Yes to lower interest. Supports zero interest loans for education. Mixed on forgiveness. “We need to be very careful about loan forgiveness.” Cancelling student debt could increase college costs. Supports national service loan forgiveness programs.
No position found on interest. Introduced a bill indexing for inflation the tax deduction on student loan interest. Introduced bills to provide clearer information on future student loan payments. No on loan forgiveness. “Cancelling debt is not the solution.”
More. Supports capital gains taxes on some assets, and removing the cap on income that is taxed to fund Social Security. Supports the Inflation Reduction Act, with tax increases on corporations. Some billionaires “have not been paying their fair share.” “Repeal the top Trump tax breaks.”
Less. Voted for the 2017 act that cut the corporate tax from 35 % to 21%. Has supported eliminating federal estate tax. Opposed the American Families Plan, which would increase the top tax rate, close tax loopholes, and stiffen reporting requirements on high-income investments.
No. Supports “maximum voter participation.” Supports the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which would require federal pre-clearance from states with a history of voting rights violations, before making voting law changes.
Yes. Voted against the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, saying “It penalizes states for voter ID laws.” Says the bill wrongly assumes voting law changes in states lead to “voter suppression.” Opposes “federalizing elections.”
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