Congressman Leonard Boswell says he considers job creation to be a key issue in this year’s election and he attended three events this week in Des Moines to recognize new projects financed, in part, by federal funds. Boswell attended the ribbon-cutting of an Internal Revenue Service call center in West Des Moines and the groundbreaking for a new facility for the Des Moines-area bus system. Boswell also spoke at a news conference to highlight the $31-million worth of renovations at a public housing project in Des Moines.

Six-million dollars of that came from the federal stimulus package Boswell voted for last year and Boswell has defended that decision.

“What could we do that would not only stimulate jobs and bring things, bring people back to work, but what could we do, what could we accomplish to improve quality of life and also go on into the future?” Boswell asked, rhetorically, during the news conference. According to Boswell, the federal stimulus money was about “planting seeds” that would help the economy start to grow.”We want to see that happen,” Boswell said.

Boswell is a Democrat from Des Moines, seeking reelection to an eighth term in the U.S. House. Boswell’s Republican challenger is state Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale, a critic of the current level of federal government debt who has promised to vote to cut spending and cut taxes if he’s elected. Boswell says he’ll “probably have a couple” of debates with Zaun before November.

“I’ve always been challenged. I feel good about it. You know, the folks will decide and they always do,” Boswell said during an interview. “But I work hard. I think they recognize it and I think they appreciate it.” Boswell was first elected to congress in 1996 after serving in the Iowa legislature for a dozen years.