Grassley, Republican of Iowa, was elected to the 8th term of the US Senate

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley has been elected to an eighth term, defeating Democrat Michael Franken to become the Senate’s highest-ranking member.

Grassley defeated the retired Navy admiral on Tuesday after a race that was more competitive than the Republican’s typically easy wins since he was first elected to the Senate in 1980.

Franken has spent months campaigning aggressively in each of Iowa’s 99 counties, serving Grassley as a longtime incumbent. Grassley raised his profile and called Franken too liberal.

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