Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Michael Franken mentioned he didn’t serve his nation as a U.S. Navy admiral for an individual flying a profane anti-Biden flag that he noticed on the marketing campaign path this week. Republicans mentioned meaning he doesn’t respect freedom of speech.

Franken spoke Thursday throughout a marketing campaign cease about seeing the flag, which learn “Let’s Go Brandon” and “F*** Biden,” whereas driving to Sumner, Iowa. After seeing it, he mentioned he wrote to the city’s mayor to ask concerning the flag.

“I converse for all veterans, categorically talking, not for that particular person,” Franken mentioned. “I didn’t serve my nation for him, or her or whoever lives there. Disgrace on, disgrace in your city for that. I used to be going to cease at your VFW, and I made a decision to maintain on driving.”

The Iowa GOP held a press name Friday, criticizing the candidate’s remarks.

Home Majority Chief Matt Windschitl served within the U.S. Marine Corps, finishing one tour of Iraq in 2005. He those that enlist within the navy swear to uphold the Structure, and everybody inside America. Not respecting an individual’s proper to fly a flag means Franken is just not respecting the oath to serve the general public within the navy or in public workplace, he mentioned.

“Disgrace on you for having a differing opinion? Disgrace on you for expressing your First Modification rights?” Windschitl mentioned. “I imply, you possibly can agree or disagree with the flag, what it stands for, what it says, that was being flown. However you don’t get to choose and select and say ‘I’m not going to come back to your city.’”

Windschitl mentioned he wouldn’t fly the flag in his personal yard, however that Franken’s response confirmed he was not prepared to help individuals’s proper to specific political views he disagrees with.

“In his assertion, he wasn’t simply condemning the flag, he was condemning the entire city,” he mentioned.

The Iowa GOP posted on Twitter concerning the trade and commented: “What an ego.”

.@FrankenforIowa was triggered by a “Let’s Go Brandon” flag.

“I converse for all veterans, categorically talking, not for that particular person. I didn’t serve my nation for him, or her or whoever lives there. Disgrace on, disgrace in your city for that.”

What an ego. #IASen pic.twitter.com/isRHU5RwpU

— Iowa GOP (@IowaGOP) June 30, 2022

“Sure, an ego for civility,” Franken responded in a tweet.

Franken marketing campaign supervisor Julie Stauch mentioned the GOP assault is an effort to shift focus away from criticisms of his opponent, longtime U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, within the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court docket choices on abortion ruling and environmental regulation.

“We start our Independence Day weekend understanding that Grassley and the Republicans are already afraid of Mike Franken,” Stauch mentioned in an announcement. ” They’re are desperately attacking Mike’s almost 40-year service to his nation with unhappy and weak insults. Thanks to the Republicans for confirming that Mike Franken is a formidable opponent.”

Franken has talked about his dedication to bipartisanship on the marketing campaign path. Through the Democratic major election, he argued he was the perfect candidate to attract Republicans and independents away from Grassley within the November election.

However Republican Occasion of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann mentioned the candidate’s feedback confirmed why Grassley is the correct option to characterize Iowa, highlighting his annual 99-county tour.

“He doesn’t choose and select, he goes to counties and they’re lined up and there are individuals in that crowd which have one purpose, and one purpose solely, and that’s to play ‘gotcha’ with him,” Kaufmann mentioned. “And Chuck Grassley is in there each single time. All counties, all individuals.”