IOWA PROGRESSIVE ED FALLON HEADED TO VICTORY OVER BLUE DOG LEONARD BOSWELL

Ed Fallon represents a chance at REAL change in Iowa

Regular DWT readers are already familiar with Iowa's one Bush Dog Democrat, Leonard Boswell. On a broad array of substantive issues Boswell has acted as a Bush rubber stamp, voting with the Republican minority far more than either of his Democratic Iowa colleagues. This year Boswell is facing a serious challenge from progressive Democrat Ed Fallon. Ed has already been endorsed by Democracy for America and the Iowa chapter Progressive Democrats of America. I was a little skeptical about him at first because he voted for Ralph Nader in 2000 but when I spoke with him on the phone this week he admitted he had made a mistake but explained that his decision stemmed principally from Gore’s choice of Lieberman as a running mate. That was good enough for me. I asked him to do a guest post here today and I'm hoping that after you read it you'll want to join me over at one of the ActBlue pages and make a contribution to Ed's campaign.

There are two reasons we haven’t seen the change voters were looking for when we elected Democratic majorities to Congress in 2006. One is the group of Congressional Democrats who too often break with the majority of Democrats and support President Bush’s Republican agenda. One such representative is Leonard Boswell. I’m challenging him in the primary because he has split with House Democrats to vote for the war in Iraq, for funding the war without a timetable for withdrawal, for reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act, for warrantless wiretapping, for giving Bush the authority to decide what torture is, for giving $14.5 billion in tax breaks to oil and gas companies, for punitive bankruptcy reform, for punitive immigration reform, for several ‘free trade’ agreements and giving fast-track authority to Bush, and against the environment so many times that he has earned a lifetime voting record of 57% from the League of Conservation Voters. I am running to give voters in Iowa’s Third District the choice to have a progressive Democratic voice and vote in Congress.

The second reason we haven’t seen change is the influence of corporate money in politics, something that obstructs progress on issue after issue. In 14 years as a state legislator, I never accepted contributions from PACs or lobbyists. Congressman Boswell, however, has always received most of his support from PACs. Last year, PAC money accounted for 74% of contributions to his campaign, and half of it came from corporate PACs. I’m running to give our district a voice that speaks for ordinary people, not powerful corporate interests.

Voters in Iowa and across America are ready for candidates who are fiscally responsible and socially progressive. I have a clear legislative record of supporting choice and civil rights for all, and in 1996 helped lead the opposition to a bill banning same-sex marriage. At the same time, I have a solid record of leadership on fiscal responsibility, working against corporate giveaways and for sound budgeting practices.

Finally, let me just say that this race is ours to lose. The progressive tide in Iowa continues to rise. Congressman Boswell and his status quo supporters are running scared. They are trying to steer the debate away from real issues and into the kind of negative attacks they hope will discredit me and suppress voter turnout.

But that won’t happen. Beyond the fact that I won this district when I ran for governor in 2006, record participation in the Iowa Caucuses makes it clear that people are ready for new leadership and new energy. With the support of the grassroots across the country, Iowa’s Third Congressional District will join the Progressive Caucus in 2009.

-Ed Fallon