On Tuesday, Iowans will vote in the primary election for the United States Senate. Sen. Joni Ernst is the only Republican running and is the current incumbent. 

There are four Democrats competing to run against Ernst: Michael Franken, Kimberly Graham, Theresa Greenfield and Eddie Mauro. Cal Woods will also appear on the ballot, but he unofficially withdrew from the race in May and endorsed Franken.

Republican and Iraq veteran, Ernst is the current incumbent and is running for reelection. Ernst is the first woman to represent Iowa in any federal office. Prior to representing Iowa in the U.S. Senate, she served in the Iowa State Senate from 2011-2014.

During the 116th Congress, she was assigned to five committees: Small Business and Entrepreneurship; Armed Services; Judiciary; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; and Environment and Public Works.

According to her campaign website, she is “focused on growing a vibrant economy and ensuring the government runs effectively and efficiently which means cutting out-of-control spending, reducing taxes, eliminating harmful regulations and balancing the budget.” 

Three-star Navy Vice Adm. Michael Franken is one of four people running for the Democratic nomination. Franken has received many endorsements, including one from The Des Moines Register and former Democratic candidate Cal Woods. He has also had legislative experience, working on Sen. Ted Kennedy’s staff and in the Defense Department.

Franken said he believes he will bring “the same bold, principled leadership he learned growing up in Sioux County and in the Navy to fight for a better future for this nation and all Iowans.”

Kimberly Graham currently works as a lawyer in Polk County, working primarily in family and juvenile courts. Graham is an alumna of the University of California, Irvine and Drake University Law School.

She has received endorsements from Brand New Congress and from the National Organization for Women, among others.

Graham said she is fighting for universal single-payer health care, fair treatment for farmers, clean air and water, a justice system that treats everyone fairly and equally, high-quality education for all children and “a level playing field so monopolies can’t destroy farms and small towns.”

Insurance company owner Eddie Mauro, in the Senate Democratic Primary Debate, said he has successfully built a company that “provides family leave, and where 65 percent of leadership are women.”

He holds endorsements from State Reps. Ruth Ann Gaines, Charlie McConkey, Ako Abdul-Samad and Ras Smith.

On his website, Mauro said his main priorities are “listening to Iowans and giving them a seat at the table, not just the establishment and special interests.”

Theresa Greenfield works as a real estate developer and had endorsements from 21 different labor unions. In 2018, Greenfield was a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House representing Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District but was disqualified before the primary.

Greenfield said Social Security benefits helped her family get out of poverty and she is committed to protecting that in Washington.