When Michael Franken won the Democratic nomination for the Senate in June, many in Iowa's disillusioned party thought they landed on a candidate who could maybe — possibly — reverse their humbling slide in the state.
After all, the retired Navy admiral won 76 of 99 counties, in every region of the state, notably conservative northern and western Iowa. His hesitancy during the primary campaign to back weapons bans and college loan forgiveness were signs he aimed to appeal to moderate Democrats and even some Republicans tired of incumbent Chuck Grassley after four decades in office.
