Democratic state Sen. Al Lawson said he would like to take matters into his own hands after watching fellow Democrat Allen Boyd , who’s now in Congress, consider a run for another office.

“Every time an election comes up in Florida, he [Boyd] always said, ‘I’m looking at it.’ ‘I’m going to make a decision,’ ” Lawson said. “So I’m trying to help him make a decision.”

Lawson filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission in early March to run for Boyd’s 2nd District seat.

Boyd, a seven-term House member, announced Jan. 28 his intention to run for re-election to his North Florida seat, quashing speculation he would be a candidate in the 2010 open Senate race. Others believed the fifth-generation farmer would run for state Agriculture Commissioner.

Boyd pursued a run for the Senate when Bob Graham (1987-2005), announced his decision to retire at the end of the 108th Congress, but Boyd’s lack of statewide name recognition prompted him instead to seek re-election to the House. Boyd has never gone so far as to file a statement of candidacy for another office.

Lawson notes that Boyd has rarely faced strong election challenges over the course of his 12 years in office and Lawson believes voters want to see a strong candidate challenge the lawmaker and offer a new perspective for the district.

Lawson mainly takes issue with Boyd’s record as a “Blue Dog” fiscal conservative. Lawson said district voters would prefer a “true Democrat” who is more left-leaning, such as Lawson himself.

“From my perspective, a Blue Dog is just a closet Republican,” Lawson said, casting himself as someone who is “committed to being a true Democrat.”

Lawson criticized Boyd’s vote against the stimulus and the congressman’s support for privatizing social security. Boyd voted against an initial version of the stimulus bill but voted for the version in conference, stating that the Senate had removed what he viewed as wasteful spending.

Bob Doyle, a consultant for Boyd’s campaign, said district voters have repeatedly shown they want representation by a “straight shooter” who is on the center-right side of some issues, including fiscal matters.

“Congressman Boyd’s been just that ... and voters have rewarded him with re-election,” he said, adding that Boyd has supported abortion rights, voted for the stimulus (PL 111-5), and been a “voice of moderation on fiscal discipline.”

“I think the congressman’s stewardship has been right down the middle,” Doyle said. President Obama has actively courted Blue Dogs this year on issues related to the economy and spending.

Boyd’s moderate viewpoint at home has also enabled him to hold onto his seat despite its GOP lean. The 2nd is a swing district where Republican John McCain won a majority of support in November, 54 percent, according to a CQ Politics analysis, at the same time Boyd won re-election with 62 percent of the vote.