DES MOINES, Iowa – Admiral Mike Franken (USN, ret.) announced on Twitter that he would run for U.S. Senate for a second time on Thursday.
“An important part of leadership is doing what’s right. In 2002, I cast the sole ‘no’ vote during deliberations on the invasion of Iraq. Now, I’m declaring my candidacy to unseat @ChuckGrassley to represent Iowa in the US Senate,” he tweeted.
An important part of leadership is doing what’s right. In 2002, I cast the sole ‘no’ vote during deliberations on the invasion of Iraq
Now, I'm declaring my candidacy to unseat @ChuckGrassley to represent Iowa in the US Senate. Chip in: https://t.co/bIyjKEGyge
— Admiral Mike Franken (@FrankenforIowa) October 14, 2021
“I think you deserve a Senator who is pragmatic enough to achieve what’s achievable, but bold enough to aim for what we haven’t yet been able to achieve. It’s my sincere hope I can be that Senator for you,” Franken added.
I think you deserve a Senator who is pragmatic enough to achieve what’s achievable, but bold enough to aim for what we haven't yet been able to achieve. It's my sincere hope I can be that Senator for you.
— Admiral Mike Franken (@FrankenforIowa) October 14, 2021
Franken who grew up in Sioux Center, Iowa, but moved to Sioux City, Iowa in 2019 shortly after retiring from the Navy on October 1, 2018.
Franken most recently served as the U.S. Africa Command’s deputy for military operations. In that role, he was responsible to the commander for promoting the national security interests of the United States by strengthening the security capabilities of African nations, to include the conduct of military operations that create an environment conducive to development and responsible governance.
He also served as the initial director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), special assistant to the director of the Navy Staff, the Joint Staff J5 (Strategic Plans and Policy) interim chief of staff, the Department of the Navy Chief of Legislative Affairs, command of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HoA) in Djibouti, Africa, and nearly three years as vice director, Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5) at U.S. Central Command.
Franken was the first commanding officer of USS Winston S. Churchill, a missile destroyer, and served with three other destroyers: USS King, USS Dahlgren, and USS Barry. As commodore, he commanded Destroyer Squadron 28 and Task Group 152.0 for the Eisenhower Strike Group.
In his campaign launch video in 2020, said he was “trained to not bow for political pressure and to do what is right.” Franken said he objected to the invasion of Iraq in 2002 during a work group put together by the Bush White House as a young captain representing the Navy.
Franken was runner-up to Theresa Greenfield in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2020.
Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann asked if Iowa Democrats were unable to find new candidates.
“Can Iowa Democrats find any new candidates? Mike Franken has already been rejected by Iowans and is just another cookie-cutter, radical progressive. Despite Franken’s best efforts, his candidacy will get very little traction because it’s clear that national Democrats have already crowned Finkenauer as their winner. Franken will soon understand that this primary will be reminiscent of the 2020 primary where Iowa Democrat voters will be left out of the process,” he said.
Franken joins former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer, former Minden City Councilman and family physician Glenn Hurst, and former Crawford County Supervisor Dave Muhlbauer in a four-way Democratic primary.
