There's a new Idaho Newspapers Poll out this morning, and it shows that the 1st District congressional race has narrowed to a dead heat - freshman Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick has 44 percent to GOP challenger Raul Labrador's 41 percent, which is within the poll's 5 percent margin of error. The last Idaho Newspapers Poll in September showed Minnick with a 10-point lead; you can read our full story here, and see today's full poll results here.

The poll also showed Republicans consolidating their leads in other major Idaho races; Gov. Butch Otter led Democratic challenger Keith Allred 52 percent to 30 percent, with 5 percent for independent Jana Kemp, 4 percent for Libertarian Ted Dunlap and 1 percent for "Pro-Life"; Sen. Mike Crapo led Democratic challenger Tom Sullivan 64-20 percent; state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna led challenger Stan Olson 50-34 percent; and 2nd District Rep. Mike Simpson led Democratic challenger Mike Crawford 67-17 percent, with 5 percent for independent Brian Schad.

The Idaho Newspapers Poll is a collaboration of seven newspapers: The Spokesman-Review, the Idaho Statesman, the Idaho Press Tribune, the Lewiston Tribune, the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, the Post Register, and the Times-News. The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research In., which interviewed 625 likely voters Oct. 20-22. The poll's margin of error statewide is plus or minus 4 percentage points; it's 5 percent in the 1st CD.