Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Patty Judge, his Democratic challenger, will share a stage in Sioux City tonight for the first of their two face-to-face debates.
Grassley said Tuesday he wants to “keep it on the policies” rather than the presidential personalities.
“I don’t want them to keep my opponent talking all about what might be wrong with Hillary Clinton and I don’t want ’em to be asking me what might be wrong with our candidate, Mr. Trump,” Grassley says. “I want to be talking about the issues.”
During a conference call with Iowa reporters on Tuesday, Grassley cited export policies, national security and U.S. economic growth on his preferred issues list.
“I’m not going to tell the moderator what they can talk about and there’s going to be some questions about the presidential race and the presidential candidates,” Grassley said. “I’m not saying I expect it to be totally what I want, but since we’re running for the senate and not for president, it seems to me it ought to be about the issues.”
According to Judge, Grassley has three main issues if you pay attention to his campaign.
“Eating ice cream, mowing the lawn and doing push ups,” Judge said this past weekend.
During a speech Saturday at an Iowa Democratic Party fundraiser, Judge said steps that would improve the U.S. economy can’t be accomplished because of the “gridlock” in congress caused by Republicans like Grassley.
“It must be very hard to quit playing politics and address problems when you are supporting Donald Trump and make no mistake about it,” Judge said, “Chuck Grassley thinks just like Donald Trump.”
Judge’s father died Tuesday morning in Albia. On Tuesday afternoon, her campaign announced she would participate in tonight’s debate. It starts at 7 p.m. and will air on KTIV TV in Sioux City. It will be simulcast on KWWL in Waterloo, KTTC in Rochester, Minnesota which is seen in northern Iowa and WGEM in Quincy, Illinois which is seen in southeast Iowa. Each of the stations plans to livestream the event online, so click on any of the station call letters above to watch.
The Grassley-Judge debate will conclude just before tonight’s presidential debate begins.