Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign picked up an endorsement from a second state legislator today, with the announcement that Cedar Rapids Rep. Tyler Olson would be supporting his campaign.

“I’m supporting Senator Obama because he has the judgment and experience to lead America and change the divisive politics in Washington, DC,” said Olson in a release provided to Iowa Independent.  “Senator Obama had the courage to speak out against the war in Iraq – even when it was unpopular with the political establishment.  That’s the kind of conviction and wisdom that our next president will need to unify America and tackle the challenges we face.”

Olson is the second state legislator to endorse Obama.  State Rep. Elesha Gayman of Davenport was hired in late May to be the campaign’s eastern Iowa political director.

Olson and Gayman are first-term state legislators and both are under age 35.  They are two of the four first-term Democrats who created the Generation Iowa Commission during the last legislative session.  The commission’s goal is to study why young people leave the state and to recommend policies that will attract and retain youth in Iowa.