DES MOINES — U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is firmly behind his grandson as a candidate to replace Bill Northey as Iowa’s secretary of agriculture.
Northey has been nominated to an undersecretary post at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is widely expected to be confirmed. State Rep. Pat Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford, has acknowledged his interest in succeeding Northey. Chuck Grassley said Wednesday his grandson’s experience as a farmer and state legislator make him qualified to lead the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
And, Chuck Grassley says, “I hope he’ll be appointed.”
Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is on a foreign trade mission, has said little about her plans for the appointment other than mentioning last week that several people were under consideration.