A West Des Moines lawyer is the new chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party and his first move was to declare himself neutral in the presidential campaign.

On Saturday the Iowa Democratic Party?s State Central Committee elected 44-year-old Scott. Brennan as the party?s chairman for the next two years. Brennan grew up Indianola, graduated from Grinnell College and worked for Iowa Senator Tom Harkin from 1987 ?til 1990, when he entered law school at the University of Iowa.

Brennan vows to be neutral in the Caucuses ? he will not endorse any candidate. Lieutenant Governor Sally Pederson resigned as party chairman last month in order to actively support Governor Tom Vilsack?s bid for the White House. Interim party leader Rob Tully is a long-time backer of North Carolina Senator John Edwards.

Brennan, the new party leader, says his ?highest priority? will be to ensure the 2008 Iowa Democratic Party Caucuses are ?fair and objective? ? and in no way slanted to favor Governor Vilsack.