Edwards Wins a Key Iowa Backer

And a big one in my books: Bruce Braley.

DES MOINES – John Edwards is set to collect a key Iowa endorsement tomorrow from one of the state’s Democratic members of Congress, a coveted prize that each of Mr. Edwards’ rivals have been aggressively courting.

Representative Bruce Braley, who represents Iowa’s First Congressional District in the eastern portion of the state, is scheduled to announce that he is supporting the presidential candidacy of Mr. Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina. The development was confirmed to The Caucus by two Democratic officials familiar with the endorsement.

Mr. Braley was elected to Congress last year as Democrats swept control of the House of Representatives from Republicans. In recent weeks, he has been sought after by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and Mr. Edwards, all three of whom headlined separate versions of “Bruce, Blues and BBQ,” a fund-raising dinner for Mr. Braley.

He is the first of Iowa’s three Democratic members of Congress to announce his endorsement. The value of any endorsement is always an open question, but as Mr. Edwards seeks to compete for attention and support with Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama, this rollout signals the beginning of an intense final month of the Iowa caucus campaign.

The endorsement will formally be announced tomorrow in Waterloo.

JRE stumped for him 3X in 2005-2006. Braley is a rural guy; he knows who helped him the most, despite Obama giving him 9K this past year from Hopefund PAC.

Thanks, Bruce. You are true to your core.