Michael Thane Franken (born November 8, 1957) is an American retired United States Navy vice admiral.

[1] His final posting was as deputy director of military operations for the United States Africa Command.

Franken was a Democratic candidate in the 2020 United States Senate election in Iowa, but lost the June 2 primary to Theresa Greenfield.

Franken was the Democratic nominee for the 2022 United States Senate election in Iowa, which he lost to Republican incumbent Chuck Grassley.

In Washington, D.C., he served a fellowship in congressional affairs for the Office of the Secretary of the Navy; as the political-military chair in the Chief of Naval Operations' Executive Panel, in Navy's Plans and Strategy Deep Blue staff; in the Assessments Division in support of Navy's representation in the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and in the Joint Staff's Joint Operations Division overseeing U.S. Pacific Command operations.

He presented the worldwide orders book to Secretary Donald Rumsfeld from 2003 to 2005 and was the first military officer to serve as a legislative fellow for Senator Ted Kennedy.