Dems Still Worried About Boswell

DCCC Still Worried About Blue Dog Boswell

Most of the attention paid to a leaked memo (scanned pdf) from Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Chris Van Hollen is on Democratic plans on offense in 29 GOP-held districts carried last fall by President Obama (that would, narrowly, include Tom Latham's 4th CD). But the list on defense is worth noting.

Leonard Boswell, who chronically underperforms his district, is in the list of 41 "Frontline" members who the DCCC is keeping an eye on just in case. Boswell is by far the senior member on the list. Other than the chronically endangered Baron Hill of Indiana and Ciro Rodriguez of Texas, both of whom have lost and won again in gerrymandered districts from hell, the rest of the list is from the classes of `06 and `08.

Shouldn't a six term incumbent in a reasonable solid be able to take care of himself? Maybe a Democrat whose voting record actually matched the district could have... or could yet.

When the map came out in 2001, Matt McCoy was already up and running, and the Boswell farm was in the open 5th District. How's that for an alternate history: a Blue Dog is a great improvement over Steve King, and Des Moines doesn't have to settle for less than a progressive..