Franken speakes to constituents in Mt. Pleasant

Iowa Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate Admiral Mike Franken made a trip to Mt. Pleasant to speak at the J. Raymond Chadwick Library at Iowa Wesleyan University on Sunday, Feb. 27.

The retired three-star admiral met with constituents for a discussion on several topics that were generated by a group of Henry County Democratic Party members.

Franken also discussed his visions on what he wants for the upcoming senatorial election.

“My job is to change the status quo. I am pro-democracy, pro-civil rights, pro-business, pro-work, and pro-education,” said Franken.

Franken gave some insight into his upbringing and career during the meeting. A physicist by training, Franken had a tough Northwest Iowa upbringing as the youngest of nine children. He worked his way to college as a farm hand and working for a slaughterhouse. He received a Navy scholarship while in college.

Franken’s career stretched across America and in multiple continents for almost four decades. He commanded the destroyer USS Winston S Churchill, a squadron of ships, and an international task group at sea. He was the task force commander for the 4,000 US personnel in East Africa and the first director of the POW/MIA defense agency. He went on to serve in various policy making, strategy, and planning roles to include chief of legislative affairs for the Department of the Navy. He retired from military service as a three-star admiral in 2017. Mike and Jordan have two adult children.

“I spent a lot of time in Washington, D.C.,” said Franken, “I had 11 jobs inside the beltway in my career. But I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t come back home to Iowa to help as best I can. I am a farm kid from Iowa, lucky enough to do what I did in life.”

“This race is winnable,” said Franken. “The numbers are there. The poles are going to show that we are out distancing Grassley, We are scaling to the degree necessary to beat him substantially.”

Contact Michelle Hillestad at michelle.hillestad@southeastiowaunion.com