The Lewiston Tribune reports today that former Idaho gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell, who lost a bid for the state House in May's GOP primary, is planning to move to Torrington, Wyo. next week and take a veterinary job at the Torrington Livestock Auction. Rammell told Trib reporter Kathy Hedberg that in the future, "If I do anything with politics it won't be in Idaho. I've kind of given up on Idaho, to be right honest with you."

Rammell challenged Rep. Shannon McMillan, R-Silverton, for a House seat in the new District 7, which includes Idaho County, where he moved after the county backed him for governor in his primary run in 2010. But Rammell got just 30.3 percent of the vote in a three-way primary contest last month, with Ed Galloway at 21.9 percent and McMillan winning with 47.8 percent.

Rammell is a former elk rancher who entered politics after he vociferously objected, and unsuccessfully sued, when then-Gov. Jim Risch ordered Rammell's escaped domestic elk shot in 2005 to avoid spreading disease to Idaho's wild herds. He was known for campaigning around the state in a giant decorated RV, and adopting a large inflatable T-Rex dinosaur as a campaign mascot. Rammell told the Tribune that he's recently cleared up his legal problems stemming from a poaching charge.

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