So it is official, former State Rep. Ed Fallon of Des Moines will be challenging Rep. Leonard Boswell in a primary in Iowa’s 3rd district. The primary will take place in June.

Boswell has been named a Bush Dog Democrat by Open Left, as one of the Democratic Representitives that supports President Bush the most often.

Boswell has had a terrible voting record on important legislation. He was among the minority of House Democrats to authorize the use of military force in Iraq (AUMF). Boswell also voted for the PATRIOT Act, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, a draconian immigration bill that never made it through the Senate, and No Child Left Behind.

Fallon won a surprising 3rd place finish in the 2006 Democratic primary for Governor by building a strong grassroots organization. He won 26% when he was expected to get less than 5% at the start of the campaign (Chet Culver won with 39%). Despite being heavily outspent, Fallon won Polk Co. and was the top vote getter in the 3rd district.

Fallon is socially liberal and fiscally conservative. He has pushed public financing of elections, universal health care, ending corporate tax give aways, and has never taken money from lobbyists and PAC’s.

The caucuses showed there is a wave of populism riding across Iowa and Fallon could ride that wave to Congress.