Tom Harkin Apologizes for 'Taylor Swift' Comment

The Democratic senator said he doesn't care if GOP Senate candidate Joni Ernst is “as good-looking as Taylor Swift.”

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) answers reporters questions during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol April 30, 2014 in Washington, DC.
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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By Alison Elkin

November 3, 2014 at 12:42 PM UTC

Updated on

November 3, 2014 at 3:07 PM UTC

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Retiring Iowa Senator Tom Harkin is catching heat for commenting on Republican Senate candidate Joni Ernst's looks by saying at a recent political appearance that "I don’t care if she’s as good-looking as Taylor Swift."

Harkin, a Democrat whose seat is up for grabs on Tuesday, made the remark at a barbecue in his honor last week, according to a video published by BuzzFeed on Sunday. In it, Harkin says that Ernst, a state senator running against Democratic Representative Bruce Braley, comes off as being attractive and nice in her political ads, but that those qualities do not a desirable senator make.