Report: Grassley to get new Dem Senate challenger

A former Iowa lieutenant governor and secretary of Agriculture is launching a bid for Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) seat in Congress, a new report says.

Patty Judge (D) is taking a shot at the incumbent senator because of his refusal to hold confirmation hearings for a nominee to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, according to The Des Moines Register.

{mosads}Judge is publicly announcing her campaign on Friday, the paper said, after publicly mulling the move last week.

Kurt Meyer, a Democratic activist from northeast Iowa, said Thursday that Judge’s storied role in Hawkeye State politics lends her campaign instant legitimacy.

“If Patty got into the race, she has the statewide name recognition,” he said. “My sense is that if she gets in the race, it’s going to shake things up a bit.”

Grassley’s leading challenger before Judge’s direct involvement was Democratic state Sen. Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids, the Register reported.

Hogg said Thursday he welcomed a primary with Judge to decide the person best-suited to defeat Grassley.

“I think her interest is a sign that many Democrats think that Sen. Grassley is vulnerable,” he said. “If she wants to run I certainly would not discourage her from it. I think that a good, vigorous primary is good to figure out who the best candidate is to run against Sen. Grassley this fall.”

Former lawmakers Bob Krause and Tom Fiegen are also planning on challenging Grassley, the Register reported last week.

Grassley is under fire for refusing to act on anyone President Obama nominates to fill the Supreme Court vacancy.

The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) met with Obama earlier this week, arguing that the next president should fill the vacancy.

Scalia died unexpectedly last month, setting off an election-year battle over what role voters should play in the next justice’s selection.

This story was corrected on March 3, 2016 at 7:12 p.m.