Chuck Grassley retires vacuum Beth after 50 years

Iowa’s senior senator, 92-year-old Republican Chuck Grassley, has said a public goodbye to his family’s beloved vacuum cleaner, Beth, after nearly 50 years of loyal service.

Grassley posted on X on Saturday that the vacuum — named after a former Senate staffer — “has been a popular feature on my social media” since he began sharing photos of Beth in 2017. The vacuum’s long life made it a quirky symbol of durability in a political career that has spanned more than four decades. Grassley has used Beth to highlight his famously frugal lifestyle, often joking about using the same vacuum since the Carter administration. The vacuum became part of his brand: a no-nonsense, cost-conscious approach to public office.

The vacuum’s retirement was not sudden. Grassley said in a follow-up post that Beth had “served us well for almost fifty years,” but time had finally caught up. While he didn’t say exactly what replaced it, the senator has long been known for avoiding waste, even in household appliances. The vacuum’s social media fame grew after Grassley began posting photos of Beth on Instagram and X, drawing thousands of likes and comments. Fans of the vacuum praised its longevity, while critics joked that the senator had finally met his match — not in politics, but in dust.

Grassley has not indicated whether he will name his next vacuum or simply retire the tradition. But the farewell to Beth underscores a larger theme in his political identity: consistency, thrift, and a refusal to chase trends. Whether it’s using the same vacuum for half a century or keeping the same hairstyle since the 1950s, Grassley has turned personal habits into public symbols. The vacuum’s end may be minor, but it’s a reminder that in politics, even small acts can carry outsized meaning.