Good, it's a seat we DON'T want open this year......

The Republicans already have a head start were this seat to become open, and we don't need Boswell retiring.  I know he's a sometimes-frustration for central Iowa liberals, but he's no Lieberman or Travis Childers, and he's clearly still a shift to the left from the Greg Ganske days.

43, male, Indian-American, Democrat, VA-10

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by: DCCyclone @ Wed Jan 06, 2010 at 19:57:27 PM UTC

his voting record has improved

When 30-odd Blue Dogs vote with Republicans on some issue, I almost never see his name among them. That was not the case in 2007 and early 2008. You can see it if you look at Boswell's Progressive Punch ratings for the current session, as opposed to his lifetime ratings.

I don't expect any of the declared Republicans to give Boswell real trouble. Our problem will be holding IA-03 in 2012 if Story County (where Tom Latham lives, immediately north of Polk County) is thrown into the new district.  

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by: desmoinesdem @ Wed Jan 06, 2010 at 20:09:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I see more opportunity than you do against Latham......

No I don't have potential candidate names in mind.

But Polk County will be in IA-03, and Polk is clearly to Latham's left by a pretty big margin, and Latham has never represented or run for any office in Polk.

Yes he's had to run in the Des Moines media market, but how much TV exposure did he really buy?  And if he's not on anyone's ballot in Polk County, they probably didn't pay too much attention to him anyway.

If we run a personally well-liked Polk County-based nominee, we'll have a better shot than you think.

43, male, Indian-American, Democrat, VA-10

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by: DCCyclone @ Wed Jan 06, 2010 at 20:33:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I like our chances better

with a new Polk County-based nominee (Christie Vilsack?) than with Boswell against Latham.

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by: desmoinesdem @ Wed Jan 06, 2010 at 20:55:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]