Boswell Retirement Imminent?
- Thursday, February 4, 2010, 18:45
- Iowa, National, News Center, Top Story
- 2,182 views
- 17 comments
For months, retirement rumors have surrounded Congressman Leonard Boswell. The seven-term Representative in Iowa’s 3rd District tried to quash the retirement rumors early last month, but his statement that he is running has done nothing to dampen the rumors that keep resurfacing in D.C. and back home in Iowa’s third district.
The Boswell retirement rumors are bound to heat up in Iowa after a recent survey tested three possible Democrat replacements for Boswell. Multiple sources have told TheIowaRepublican.com that they were polled Wednesday night about the 3rd District race.
The poll asked how likely they were to vote, whether or not the respondent was Republican or Democrat, and how they would rate the performance of President of Obama and Congressman Boswell. The poll also asked a series of questions about the favorability/unfavorability of a number of well known Iowa Democrats.
Those surveyed included questions about President Obama, Congressman Leonard Boswell, former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack, State Representative Geri Huser, and Des Moines Area Community College President Rob Denson. Respondents were also read brief bios of Boswell, Vilsack, and Huser and then asked if they were more/less likely to support them.
Speculation is rampant that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is behind the calls. In recent months, the Obama Administration has convinced a number of vulnerable Democrat incumbents to retire instead of stand for re-election. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota both abruptly announced their retirements from the U.S. Senate. Congressman Vic Snyder of Arkansas and Congressman John Tanner of Tennessee also recently retired, and Colorado Governor Bill Ritter surprised people when he announced his retirement.
Last month, Congressman Chris Van Hollen, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, warned that a couple more retirements could be coming. One of the names that is always on the list of potential retirements in Leonard Boswell, and another one is Congressman John Spratt from South Carolina. Like Boswell, Spratt is an entrenched incumbent who will likely have a heated general election campaign. Boswell is 76, and Spratt is 67, but both occupy districts that should produce competitive Republican challengers.
If the DNC is polling the favorable and unfavorable of potential Boswell replacements, it is likely that Leonard Boswell may have already made his decision to retire. Christie Vilsack would most-likley lead the ballot test in the poll, but State Rep. Geri Huser is probably the candidate who would immerge as Boswell’s replacement. Denson is rumored to have had his eye on Boswell’s seat for some time, but it might be difficult for him to leave his post at DMACC quickly.
About the Author
Craig Robinson has written 500 stories on this site.
Craig Robinson serves as the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheIowaRepublican.com. Prior to founding Iowa's largest conservative news site, Robinson served as the Political Director of the Republican Party of Iowa during the 2008 Iowa Caucuses. In that capacity, Robinson planned and organized the largest political event in 2007, the Iowa Straw Poll, in Ames, Iowa. Robinson also organized the 2008 Republican caucuses in Iowa, and was later dispatched to Nevada to help with the caucuses there. Robinson cut his teeth in Iowa politics during the 2000 caucus campaign of businessman Steve Forbes and has been involved with most major campaigns in the state since then. His extensive political background and rolodex give him a unique perspective from which to monitor the political pulse of Iowa.
17 Comments on “Boswell Retirement Imminent?”
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Isn’t Boswell retired already?
There’s one sure way to make sure he retires: Vote Republican!!!
Why would the DNC be polling Geri Huser and Rob Denson? There are many other prominent Democrats who might consider running for this seat. Seems more logical that one of those two would conduct a poll if they thought Boswell might retire.
Why would desmoinesdem be commenting on this site? There are so many other prominent Democrat sites that you might consider commenting on. Seems logical the only reason is because they all suck and no one reads them.
Notice how dsmdem takes issue with Boswell’s potential replacements, not the fact that the Boz is on the way out.
desmoinesdem just has a crush on Christie, Christie, Christie! Huser looks like a man and is best friends with Republicans. And was Denson that DMACC president with the drug problem or is he the new one?
Tolliver, don’t be an ass!!! Geri Huser is one of the few dems at the Statehouse that has been reasonable, she was one of only two that voted for Rants procedural vote on marriage last session. If her constituents didn’t like her, they wouldn’t vote for her. You sound just like deace, pi$$ing off potential allies for the sake of “purity”.
One Democrat’s perspective: If it were a primary, I’d definitely vote Christie over Leonard. But Geri Huser is another blue dog and hardly an improvement. (I don’t know much about Denson.) I would have gone Fallon over Boswell as well. But what do I know, I’m in Loebsack’s district.
Prediction: Leonard and Latham get paired in redistricting, and if Boswell doesn’t retire you guys win.
> Why would desmoinesdem be commenting on this site? There are so many other prominent Democrat sites that you might consider commenting on.
We should *WANT* desmoinesdem to be posting here. You learn very little from the people that only agree with you.
I welcome the alternative view point. Only 2 things can happen when someone presents a different view…either they convince you to change your own opinion, or it encourages to shore up the holes in your own argument.
I would welcome more Democrats to post and comment on this site.
“Chris Dodd of Delaware and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota both abruptly announced their retirements from the U.S. Senate.” Dodd is from Connecticut, not Deleware.
Let’s play this out a little: the 2012 elections will be the first with new district lines. So..wouldn’t it behoove the Democrats to put up someone NOW that has the ability to mount a strong challenge to say Latham if the 3rd and 4th CD’s are merged somehow during reapportionment?
There’s a whole host of Dems with better name ID than these three in the 3rd CD who have been waiting in the wings that have wanted to ascend to higher office for a long time..
HawkCR1: Stop helping the enemy!! Think I”ll send Bos a contribution or help him gain signatures on his petitions.
Timmy, did you take offense that I said Geri Huser looks like a man? She does. Albeit a scrawny, heavy smoking man. But a man nonetheless. I assume you agree with my other point that she spends most of her time undermining Pat Murphy and Kevin McCarthy and helping Republicans. You mention Christopher Rants. I believe she is also a donor of his, isn’t she? Didn’t she take junket trips out of state with him too?
“Trolliver”- make a reasoned argument and somebody will debate you. If you act like a troll, you’ll get treated like a troll !!!
Sorry Bold, that’s what happens when I’m in a hurry. Correction made.
“Immerge” is not an English word.