New poll shows Grassley's lead now just 3 percentage points, in toughest reelection bid in 40 years

Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley now leads his Democratic challenger in his 2022 reelection bid by just three percentage points, according to a new poll. 

A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa poll release Saturday shows the seven-term senator leading his Democrat challenger Mike Franken 46% to 43%, with Election Day now roughly just three weeks away.

The margin indicates Grassley's toughest reelection fight since taking office in 1980, according to several news outlets.

The 89-year-old Grassley is the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

The poll was taken Oct. 9-12 and shows Franken up five percentage points since the pollster's previous survey in early July.

The poll was taken among 804 voting-age Iowans, with 620 considered likely voters. The margin of error for likely voter questions was 3.9%.