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Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) on Saturday eulogized a beloved vacuum cleaner, affectionately named Beth after a former Senate staffer.
The vacuum has been in the 92-year-old senator’s family for nearly 50 years and has been a popular feature on Grassley’s social media.
“U willl see Beth no more,” Grassley wrote in a post alongside a photo displaying the vacuum cleaner and a charred electrical cord.
“See black that’s from electrical sparks,” he continued. “It’s not safe to use anymore. GOOD BYE BETH . U hv been a real workhorse. Ur namesake still is hard worker. I will miss u.”
The senator said in a follow up post that it was a “sad day at Grassley household.” He said the Hoover vacuum cleaner had operated “dependably” in his home for 34 years and for 15 years prior to that in his mother-in-law’s home.
The vacuum has made frequent appearances on the Iowa lawmaker’s social media. A 2023 video of Grassley using the appliance garnered 1.4 million views on the social platform X.
“Beth + I are ready & working hard to prepare for Grassley family thxgiving at the farm She never lets me down & im grateful I can count on OLD FAITHFUL,” the senator wrote alongside this clip.
Other lawmakers joined in on the fun, with GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (W.V.) writing in a social media post at the time, “We can ALWAYS count on Beth!”
In a 2022 post, Grassley shared that the vacuum was “too old to get repairs.”
“With a little care I expect Beth to clean Grassley home for a few more years,” the lawmaker wrote.
Several Senate colleagues and X users sent their condolences in response to Grassley’s Saturday update.
“Sorry for your loss. They don’t build them like they used to,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) wrote.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz responded with a GIF of Luke Skywalker from Star Wars screaming, “No!”
Grassley’s communications director, Clare Slattery, asked to “please respect Team Grassley’s privacy during this difficult time” in a social media post.
Add as preferred source on Google Tags Chuck Grassley Chuck Grassley Jared Moskowitz Jared Moskowitz Shelley Moore Capito Shelley Moore Capito Tim Scott Tim ScottCopyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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