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.
https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/6018915-grassley-eulogizes-vacuum-beth/