Iowa state Sen. Brad Zaun (R) will be joining the Republican field vying to oppose Rep. Leonard L. Boswell (D) in the Des Moines-area 3rd district.

Zaun, who is serving his second four-year term in the Iowa Senate, told CQ Politics Thursday afternoon that he would make a formal announcement of his political plans after Dec. 1.

"And my intentions are to run against Leonard Boswell," said Zaun, a vice president at the commercial real estate firm R&R Realty.

Jim Gibbons wants to take down Rep. Leonard L. Boswell, (D-Iowa).

Gibbons, a former championship wrestling coach at Iowa State University, is seeking the Republican nomination to oppose Boswell in the 3rd district in and around Des Moines.

Gibbons, who left coaching in 1992 and is now a financial adviser and television analyst, told The Iowa Republican blog that he is "concerned about the direction of the country. Spending is out of control in Washington; it's unsustainable."

Iowa's largest newspaper is reporting that Christie Vilsack, the state's former first lady, will not challenge Republican Sen. Charles E. Grassley in 2010.

"I have decided not to run for the United States Senate in 2010," Vilsack, a lawyer and educator, said in a statement e-mailed to the Des Moines Register. "I will continue my work with the Iowa Initiative to Prevent Unintended Pregnancy and will be active in our party and across the state in issues that affect the quality of life for all Iowans."

Vilsack, who is married to ex-Iowa Gov. and current Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, said that she was "flattered and humbled by the requests from Democrats, Independents and even some Republicans to consider running."

Iowa Democratic lawyer Roxanne Conlin is saying that she is "more likely than not" going to challenge Republican Sen. Charles E. Grassley in 2010.

Conlin, the party's losing nominee for governor in 1982 and a former president of the trial lawyers' national association, on Thursday told the Des Moines Register, "I don't know how this is going to come together, but I have reached the point where I would like to do it."

Democratic leaders are promising a vigorous challenger for Grassley, who has won all four of his Senate re-election bids with at least 66 percent of the vote against weak opposition. The party's field currently includes a pair of little-known former state legislators, Tom Fiegen and Bob Krause, who have raised very little money.

Iowa Republican Terry Branstad, a former governor, is initiating a 2010 campaign to reclaim his old job.

Branstad, who was Iowa's chief executive from 1983 to 1999, on Wednesday formally created an "exploratory" committee that almost certainly will lead to a full-fledged campaign against Democratic Gov. Chet Culver.

Among those praising Branstad's move was Sandy Greiner, a former state legislator who organized a "Draft Branstad" effort.

"Today is a great day for future generations of Iowans as Gov. Branstad takes the next step toward deciding to run for governor of Iowa," Greiner said.

A former Iowa state senator says he will announce a run against Iowa Republican Sen. Charles E. Grassley for his seat in 2010. Tom Fiegen, a bankruptcy lawyer, said he’s running because of economic concerns.

Tom Feigen, who is a bankruptcy lawyer, said he decided to run because of economic concerns. He plans to announce his candidacy on Friday.

“Most of my clients are family farmers and small business people and I am concerned about the current recession the level of unemployment,” Fiegen said.

His economic platform - what he calls “Fiegenomics” - would include the goals of an unemployment rate of less than 5 percent, health care overhaul that includes a public option and tighter regulation of the financial services industry.

The fact that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee dropped by Iowa Wednesday, to raise money for a Republican who is running for governor, was a sign that two competitions are heating up at once:

• Next year's potentially crowded primary for governor, in which Republican voters will pick a challenger to incumbent Democrat Gov. Chet Culver.

• The maneuverings by Republicans considering the possibility of running for president in 2012, who one by one have been paying visits -- that look anything but coincidental -- to Iowa, the host of the traditional first-in-the-nation presidential election year caucuses.

Huckabee, who sought the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, has eschewed placing national implications on his appearance on behalf of Bob Vander Plaats -- a businessman who ran unsuccessfully for the 2002 Republican nomination for governor and again in 2006 as the Republicans' nominee for lieutenant governor.

Republican Michael Mahaffey once lost a very close open-seat House race to Democrat Leonard L. Boswell in Iowa's 3rd District, and he has been waiting patiently for the right opportunity to pursue a rematch.

Very patiently.

Mahaffey, who lost an open-seat race to Boswell in 1996, told CQ Politics that he is thinking of giving it another go next year -- 14 years after their original showdown.

Mahaffey said he plans to make a decision about the 2010 race by Labor Day.

Iowa Republican Charles E. Grassley is heavily favored to win a sixth Senate term when he runs in 2010. And he will not be the only member of his family seeking re-election in Iowa: Pat Grassley is going for a third term in the state House.

But unlike many political "dynasties," the Grassley duo is not father and son. Rather it is grandfather and grandson. None of the elder Grassley's five children ever delved into politics.

"Maybe it skips a generation," said Pat Grassley, who recently turned 26 years old.

While several Iowa Republicans continue to mull challenging Democratic Gov. Chet Culver in his 2010 election, the GOP field has been winnowed by one. State Auditor David Vaudt's office confirmed to CQ Politics that he will not run for governor, and instead will seek re-election to his current office.

Vaudt's decision was first reported Monday by Iowa media outlets. He told the Des Moines Register that his experience as auditor is paramount given the fiscal difficulties facing the state. "This is a very critical time for Iowa, and we need a strong voice and an experienced voice to keep Iowans in tune with what's really taking place with our finances," Vaudt said.

Vaudt also told Radio Iowa that he had considered the governor's race but that he is "very concerned about Iowa's long-term finances."