By Greg Giroux, CQ-Roll Call

After passing on a vigorous campaign against Rep. Leonard L. Boswell in 2008, Republicans in Iowa are signaling that they are more serious about challenging the seven-term congressman next year.

The 2010 campaigns of Republicans Brad Zaun, a state senator and former suburban mayor, and Jim Gibbons , a financial adviser who previously coached the wrestling team at Iowa State University, have prompted CQ Politics to change the rating of the race in Iowa’s 3rd district from Safe Democratic to the more competitive classification of Democrat Favored.

Zaun intends to run against Boswell, and said that he would formally announce his political plans@ sometime after Dec. 1. He called Boswell is out of touch with his constituents because he voted for a cap-and-trade energy bill this spring and for the health care overhaul earlier this month.

Gibbons told The Iowa Republican blog that he would be a candidate, saying that he is “concerned about the direction of the country. Spending is out of control in Washington; it’s unsustainable.”

Dave Funk, an aviation security consultant, also is seeking the Republican nomination.

Boswell, 75, is seeking an eighth term next year in a district that includes Des Moines, suburbs of that city as well as rural territory to the east. The 56 percent vote share he received last year against little-known Republican Kim Schmett, a little-known former congressional chief of staff, was his best showing in the past four elections and only narrowly exceeded the 54 percent that Barack Obama took in the district.

Boswell has been a reliable vote for his party this year on big-ticket legislation. In addition to backing the cap-and-trade and health care measures, Boswell early this year voted for the economic stimulus law (PL 111-5). On House floor votes in 2008 that essentially split the parties, Boswell sided with Democrats 98 percent of the time.

Boswell is part of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Frontline” program, which steers financial and logistical assistance to Democratic incumbents in challenging districts. He reported raising $414,000 in the first nine months of this year and had $343,000 cash-on-hand as October began.

To see how all the 2010 House races are shaping up, check out our election map.