Idaho Statesman political columnist Dan Popkey cornered a half-dozen people for video remembrances at former Idaho Gov. John V. Evans’ funeral last week, and came up with this interesting anecdote: When Evans, a Democrat, became governor in 1977, he wanted – and got – his own man as state party chairman. It’s a relevant tale as current Gov. Butch Otter has been bedeviled by the fight over the chairmanship of his party, the Republicans.

Popkey reports that Evans simply asked then-Democratic Party Chairman John Greenfield for his resignation. Greenfield told Popkey he replied, “Why should I do that?” The governor looked him in the eye and said, “Because I’m governor and you’re not.” Popkey reports that Greenfield mulled it over and consulted with his dad, also a former state party chairman, who advised him, “You’d better do that, kid. If you don’t do that and he loses the election, they’re never going to forgive you.” Popkey’s report is online here, along with six video remembrances. “It was just common sense,” Greenfield told Popkey. “That's what he wanted and he was governor and that was it.”

Otter has been feuding with a faction of his own party since it dislodged his choice for chairman, Kirk Sullivan, in 2008; now, depending on which side you believe, the party either has no chairman, or former Chairman Barry Peterson continues to hold the office because the party’s disastrous state convention failed to even hold votes on leaders, resolutions or a party platform. Party leaders aligned with Otter have called a state central committee meeting for Aug. 2 to fill the vacancy; Peterson has called a state central committee meeting for Aug. 9 for the same purpose. The Republican National Committee has blessed the Aug. 2 meeting and said its selection will be the officially recognized leader.