Axne endorses Finkenauer Senate bid in Iowa

Iowa Rep. Cindy Axne (D) has endorsed former Rep. Abby Finkenauer in her 2022 bid to replace Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

Finkenauer tweeted about the endorsement on Monday. Axne appeared at a campaign event with Finkenauer on Monday, according to The Des Moines Register.

“I’m so excited to be endorsed by my good friend @Axne4Congress! She knows that I’ll never lose touch with the needs of working families in Iowa, and I can’t wait to continue our work, together!” Finkenauer tweeted Monday.

I’m so excited to be endorsed by my good friend @Axne4Congress! She knows that I’ll never lose touch with the needs of working families in Iowa, and I can’t wait to continue our work, together! pic.twitter.com/axO0RJ7FQd

— Abby Finkenauer (@Abby4Iowa) August 2, 2021

The endorsement from Axne, the only Democrat in Iowa’s congressional delegation, indicates that she is not likely pursuing a Senate bid of her own, the Register notes.

Axne herself was said to be considering whether to run for another term in the House, launch a Senate bid or make a run for governor. Her spokesperson told Politico in late June “she is still weighing all three of those electoral options.”

Finkenauer launched her campaign on July 22, becoming the first major Democrat to say she will run for the seat.

Finkenauer and Axne were both elected to Congress in 2018, but Finkenauer narrowly lost to Rep. Ashley Hinson (R) in 2020.

Finkenauer is not the only Democrat who is seeking to replace Grassley. Former Crawford County Supervisor Dave Muhlbauer entered the race in May. Another Democrat, Glenn Hurst, launched his campaign last week.

On the Republican side, state Sen. Jim Carlin has announced his bid to challenge Grassley.

Meanwhile, Grassley has not said whether he would run for an eighth term.