In case you were wondering about the “North Idaho Governor’s Ball” that took place at the Coeur d’Alene Resort last week, it was not a state event, but instead was a fundraiser for Gov. Butch Otter’s campaign fund, modeled after similar events he held when he was serving in Congress (then called “North Idaho Congressional Ball”). According to Jason Lehosit of Otter’s campaign, the event drew more than 300 people at $50 a head, and featured country music and dancing to the Kelly Hughes Band along with speeches from Otter and Lt. Gov. Jim Risch. “Everybody had a great time,” Lehosit said. “It was black tie optional, so there some people in tuxedos, and people in suits.” Risch, when he was governor, also held a similar North Idaho event shortly after he took office.

As to Otter's campaign fund: His last campaign finance report, from mid-summer, showed he had $2,440 in the bank and no debt. The report also showed Otter apparently isn't using his campaign funds for routine meals and other expenses in Idaho, as former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne did, though it included a few meals at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C.

---

---