Third district Congressman Leonard Boswell is kicking off his re-election campaign today with what he calls the “Protecting Iowa Families Tour.” Boswell, a 72-year-old democrat who is seeking his fifth term, surrounded himself with kids on the front porch of a Des Moines home this morning as he started the tour.
Boswell says he’s never felt more “motivated or committed” to the children to help them achieve the American dream. He says the adults have to help the kids achieve the dream because the kids are not in position to do it for themselves. Boswell says he has always fought for children and families.
Boswell, is on the House Intelligence Committee, and says he fought to get a single director of National Security after 9-11 so there’s more communication. Boswell says with terrorism you have to move from a “mentality of need to know, to need to share.” He says if federal officials know something may happen in Des Moines, then they need to share it with local officials in Des Moines.
Boswell says he will fight to see the minimum wage is raised and supports stem cell research. Boswell commented on the current situation in the Middle East, saying the strength of Hezbollah makes Israel’s concern’s legitimate. He says Hezbollah is much more sophisticated than thought and they’re getting weapons from Iran and Syria.
Boswell says there needs to be a cease fire and Israel needs assurances that the cease fire won’t last for a day and then Hezbollah will attack again.
Boswell had abdominal surgery and chemotherapy in September of 2005 and he says his family discussed that in December when he sat down with them to consider running again. Boswell says though, he never leaned toward not running again. Boswell says his children raised the question during their talk around Christmas.
Boswell says his health issues are behind him now, “It was tough, but its behind us its over, we’re back to strength, and I tell people if they want to know if I’m strong or not, just come up and take ahold of me. I am, I’m strong, I’m going strong, putting in long hours.”
Boswell faces Jeff Lamberti, a Republican lawyer from Ankeny, in the November election. The third district covers 12 counties in Iowa, stretching from Grundy County on the northern edge, down to Monroe and Lucas County on the southern edge. The district also includes Polk County, the state’s largest county.