After Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley pulled out of a debate on Friday, Democratic challenger Patty Judge called him out on Monday for running an insubstantial campaign.
Judge, Iowa's secretary of agriculture, told The Des Moines Register's editorial board that Grassley is campaigning on trivial matters rather than his plans in the Senate.
"He has not articulated one thing that he wants to do in the next six years," Judge said. "This whole campaign season has been about Dairy Queens and sitting on wind turbines. There's no substance."
The Dairy Queens and wind turbine references allude to campaign ads showing Grassley outside an ice cream shop and on top of a windmill turbine.
The Grassley campaign responded to Judge's claims by highlighting key legislation, such as bills related to opioid abuse and 9/11 victims, the senator has been a part of during his six terms in Congress, campaign manager Robert Haus said.
"This charge is just unbelievable coming from Patty Judge," Haus said to the Register. "Even in your editorial board meeting today she couldn't think of a single piece of legislation she would work on with Sen. (Joni) Ernst.
As for the debate, it was scheduled for Oct. 20 at Iowa Public Television's studio but there was a disagreement with the format IPTV provided that ultimately led to Grassley pulling out, Haus said.
"IPTV dealt with us in good faith, and we with them in good faith," he said. "But there was an issue we couldn't resolve."
He did not elaborate on what the issue was.
On Monday, on IPTV spokeswoman told the newspaper that the campaign expressed concern over a studio audience but was unsure if that was the reason Grassley pulled out.
There is a planned debate on Oct. 19 in Sioux City on NBC stations, the same night as the third presidential debate, but the Senate debate will air earlier.
The candidates are also currently discussing the option for a debate hosted by Des Moines-based WHO Radio on Nov. 4. Grassley said he will participate, while Judge said she will only if there is a TV station broadcasting it as well.
Grassley has a 13.2 lead in a RealClearPolitics average of polls taken between Aug. 17 and Sept. 22. The race is rated Safe Republican by Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call.
