House Speaker says Boswell put out to pasture, Democrat disagrees

The top republican in the U.S. House today suggested democrat Congressman Leonard Boswell’s been sort of put out to pasture by House democrat leaders. House Speaker Dennis Hastert was in Des Moines today, campaigning on behalf of Stan Thompson, the republican who’s again running to unseat Boswell. Hastert says since Boswell’s a rural lawmaker, House democrats have “written him off” and denied him decision-making slots on key House committees. Boswell, a 70-year-old who had a career in the military before retiring to farm in southern Iowa, represents Iowa’s third congressional district, which includes Des Moines. Hastert suggests Thompson, who’s 44 years old. would be more energetic than Boswell. Hastert says Thompson’s a “young person who has future in the U.S. Congress.” A spokesman for Congressman Boswell says it’s “silly” to suggest Boswell has been “written off” by democrats. Boswell served in the Iowa Legislature, rising to become Senate President before running for Congress. 1992 democratic gubernatorial candidate Bonnie Campbell selected Boswell as her Lieutenant Governor running-mate.