Michael Franken

Franken was born in Sioux Center, Iowa. He attended Morningside College and the Naval Science Institute before graduating on an ROTC scholarship from the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska and entering the United States Navy in 1981.{{cite news |last1=Wielenga |first1=Renee |title=Naval officer retires from military |url=https://www.nwestiowa.com/scnews/naval-officer-retires-from-military/article_0a85580c-8ccd-11e7-a8d7-031ea239cef1.html |accessdate=May 18, 2020 |work=The N'West Iowa REVIEW |publisher=Iowa Information Publishers and Printers |date=September 2, 2017 |language=en}} He is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School's college of physics, MIT Seminar XXI, the University of Virginia school of executive education, the Brookings Institution's legislative affairs curriculum, and Babson College's business leadership program. His early operational assignments were in guided missile destroyers.

Franken was the first commanding officer of {{USS|Winston S. Churchill|DDG 81}}. He previously served on the {{USS|King|DDG-41}}, {{USS|Dahlgren|DDG-43}} and {{USS|Barry|DDG-52}}. As commodore, he commanded Destroyer Squadron 28 and Task Group 152.0 for the Eisenhower Strike Group. Franken also served as the United States Africa Command's deputy for military operations, the United States Central Command's flag officer responsible for plans and strategy for three years, the chief of staff at U.S. Third Fleet, and as executive assistant to Commander, Fleet Forces Command.{{cite news |title=Franken nominated to take over AFRICOM post |url=https://www.stripes.com/news/franken-nominated-to-take-over-africom-post-1.336498 |work=Stars and Stripes |date=March 25, 2015 | access-date=October 10, 2019}}

From 2011 to 2012, Franken commanded the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) in Djibouti, Africa, responsible for the U.S. military activity throughout East Africa and in the islands of the Indian Ocean.

In Washington, D.C., he served a fellowship in congressional affairs for the Office of the Secretary of the Navy; as the political-military chair in the Chief of Naval Operations' Executive Panel, in Navy's Plans and Strategy Deep Blue staff; in the Assessments Division in support of Navy's representation in the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and in the Joint Staff's Joint Operations Division overseeing U.S. Pacific Command operations. He presented the worldwide orders book to Secretary Donald Rumsfeld from 2003 to 2005 and was the first military officer to serve as a legislative fellow for Senator Ted Kennedy.

Starting in January 2015, Franken was the first director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency when it was created through the merger of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, and parts of the Air Force's Life Sciences Lab.{{Cite press release |title=Statement from Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on Personnel Accounting Reorganization |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/605344/statement-from-secretary-of-defense-chuck-hagel-on-personnel-accounting-reorgan/ |publisher=U.S. Department of Defense |date=January 9, 2015 |access-date=May 18, 2020}} The Defense POW/MIA Accounting agency is an 800-person defense agency which oversees the location and retrieval of the remains of American veterans of foreign wars.

{{main|2020 United States Senate election in Iowa#Democratic primary}}

On August 26, 2019, Franken announced that he would be running for the Democratic Party nomination for United States Senate in Iowa for the seat held by Joni Ernst, a member of the Republican Party.{{cite web | url=http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/mike-franken-united-state-senate-race-joni-ernst-democrat-primary-dscc-theresa-greenfield-kimberly-graham-eddie-mauro-republican/article_3d83b190-cf56-11e9-91c7-a3029bce9a0c.html | title=Retired U.S. Navy admiral seeks Democratic nod for Senate in race against Joni Ernst | publisher=Iowa State Daily | date=September 4, 2019 | accessdate=October 10, 2019 | author=Harris, Eli | archive-date=October 10, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010064300/http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/mike-franken-united-state-senate-race-joni-ernst-democrat-primary-dscc-theresa-greenfield-kimberly-graham-eddie-mauro-republican/article_3d83b190-cf56-11e9-91c7-a3029bce9a0c.html | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2019/08/26/michael-franken-challenges-joni-ernst-iowa-us-senate-navy-admiral-democratic-primary-candidates/2099469001/ | title=Retired Navy Admiral Michael Franken to run for U.S. Senate, challenge Joni Ernst | work=The Des Moines Register | date=August 26, 2019 | accessdate=October 10, 2019 | author=Pfannenstiel, Brianne}}

Franken was one of a number of Democrats who competed in the primary election held on June 2. The winner, Theresa Greenfield,{{cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/02/democrats-challenger-joni-ernst-senate-primary-tuesday-results/5310536002/ |title=Theresa Greenfield wins Iowa Democratic Senate primary, will face Joni Ernst |work=The Des Moines Register |date= |accessdate=June 8, 2022}} lost to incumbent Ernst in the November 3 general election.

{{Main|2022 United States Senate election in Iowa}}

On October 14, 2021, Franken confirmed that he would be seeking the Democratic Party nomination for United States Senate in Iowa for the seat held by Chuck Grassley, a member of the Republican Party.{{cite web|title=Michael Franken launches US Senate campaign challenging Chuck Grassley|url=https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/local-politics/michael-franken-launches-senate-campaign-challenging-chuck-grassley-democratic-primary-2022-election-sioux-city-congress/524-d205730e-121e-4a70-92b2-43f7b01c8b0b|website=We Are Iowa|date=October 14, 2021|access-date=October 14, 2021}} He defeated former U.S. Representative Abby Finkenauer in the primary election in a major upset.{{cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/07/iowa-election-results-democrat-running-against-chuck-grassley-november/7488982001/ |title=Michael Franken to challenge Chuck Grassley in November 2022 election |publisher=Desmoinesregister.com |date= |accessdate=June 8, 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Pfannenstiel |first=Brianne |title=Mike Franken wins Democratic US Senate primary; to take on Chuck Grassley in November |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/07/mike-franken-iowa-senate-democratic-primary-election-results-face-chuck-grassley/9909974002/ |access-date=2022-08-21 |website=The Des Moines Register |language=en-US}} Grassley defeated him 56%-44% in the general election.

Franken was born the youngest of nine children in rural Sioux County, Iowa. His father was a machinist and blacksmith, while his mother was a school teacher. Franken joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 22 at the urging of an older brother.{{cite web|title=A conversation with U.S. Senate candidate Mike Franken|url=https://globegazette.com/news/a-conversation-with-u-s-senate-candidate-mike-franken/article_b4d5ee0e-eadd-5dd9-bb46-92ded01eeef8.html |last=McNett|first=Jared|website=Globe Gazette |date=January 17, 2020 |location=Mason City, Iowa|language=en|access-date=May 14, 2020}}

In 1989, he married his wife Jordan. Together, they have two children.{{cite web|title=Naval officer retires from military|url=https://www.nwestiowa.com/scnews/naval-officer-retires-from-military/article_0a85580c-8ccd-11e7-a8d7-031ea239cef1.html|last=Wielenga|first=Renee|website=The N'West Iowa REVIEW|date=September 2, 2017 |language=en|access-date=May 14, 2020}} Franken lives in downtown Sioux City, Iowa.{{cite news |last=McNett |first=Jared |date=June 4, 2022 |title=In U.S. Senate race, Sioux Cityan Mike Franken lets people know who he is |url=https://www.newspressnow.com/news/national_news/politics/in-u-s-senate-race-sioux-cityan-mike-franken-lets-people-know-who-he-is/article_1760843b-1998-5b2b-b431-18a2d5462929.html |work=News-Press NOW |location=St. Joseph, MO |via=Sioux City (Iowa) Journal |access-date=June 8, 2022 |archive-date=June 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608214829/https://www.newspressnow.com/news/national_news/politics/in-u-s-senate-race-sioux-cityan-mike-franken-lets-people-know-who-he-is/article_1760843b-1998-5b2b-b431-18a2d5462929.html |url-status=dead }}

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{{USNAVY|url=https://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio_ret.asp?bioID=474|article=VICE ADMIRAL MICHAEL T. FRANKEN}}

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Category:1957 births

Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States Senate elections

Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States Senate elections

Category:Iowa Democrats

Category:Living people

Category:Military personnel from Iowa

Category:Naval Postgraduate School alumni

Category:People from Sioux Center, Iowa

Category:United States Navy vice admirals

Category:University of Nebraska alumni