My senator, Bob Dvorsky of Coralville, said in a statement that’s he’s endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president: “He has spent his time in the U.S. Senate fighting to bring our troops at home, and I believe he’s our best hope to bring an end to the war in Iraq and start focusing on diplomatic solutions.”

Representing Senate District 15, which serves Johnson and Linn counties, Dvorsky is serving his fourth term in the Iowa Senate. Dvorsky had previously served seven years as a state representative and has a public record citing his opposition to the Iraq War. In Feb. 2003, Dvorsky co-sponsored a resolution urging President Bush to forgo preemptive, unilateral military actions against Iraq. The measure failed to pass.

My first glimpse of Obama was at a rally for gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver, just two days before the election. While sharing the stage with Obama and other political dignitaries, Dvorsky gave a rousing speech to fire up the Democratic base. Not to mention, the rally was emceed by Dvorsky’s wife Sue, a veteran Iowa City school teacher and active member of the Johnson County Democrat Party.