Grassley wins reelection in Iowa

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is projected to easily win reelection, defeating Democrat Patty Judge.

The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman has served in the Senate since 1981 and has rarely been challenged for his seat.

{mosads}But the partisan battle over refusing to consider President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made Grassley a target for Democrats. As chairman of the Judiciary panel, Garland’s nomination would first have to proceed through Grassley’s committee.

Some polling over the summer indicated a somewhat close race in the single digits, but Grassley steadily expanded that lead over the subsequent months. He as regularly posting comfortable leads in polls leading up to Election Day.