Grassley Not Yet Out to Pasture

Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley may be facing his most competitive reelection bid of his U.S. Senate career, but he is still favored to win a seventh term against Democratic nominee Patty Judge. Just 15 U.S. Senators have won seven terms during the direct election era including Mississippi Republican Thad Cochran in 2014. [A 16th, Wyoming Republican Francis Warren, won seven elections across both eras]. Just three senators who were directly elected to six terms were defeated in their bid for a seventh: Tennessee Democrat Kenneth McKellar in 1952 (lost nomination to Al Gore, Sr.), Washington Democrat Warren Magnuson in 1980 (to Slade Gorton), and Indiana Republican Dick Lugar in 2012 (lost nomination to Richard Mourdock). Eleven other six-termers did not run for reelection during the direct election era and four others died in office.