Here’s an oddity: Idaho Ron Paul supporters, led by former state Libertarian Party chairman and marijuana-legalization activist Ryan Davidson, have joined up with conservative Rod Beck’s bid to oust state GOP Chairman Kirk Sullivan at next weekend’s state GOP convention in Sandpoint (click below to…
Now the Minnick campaign has issued a statement in response to Sali’s press release, this time saying, “Bill Sali can’t bluster and shout his way out of his terrible decision” to vote against the timber payments extension bill. Click below to read the full statement.
The House on Thursday defeated legislation from Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., to continue timber payments to rural counties for four years – legislation that promised a sorely needed reprieve to rural Idaho counties and school districts, but that drew ire from House Republicans for paying…
Gov. Butch Otter has declared June “Great Outdoors Month,” and said he’s troubled by a trend toward a “nature deficit” among young people who spend half as much time outdoors as children 20 years ago, and a lot more of their time on electronic media.…
The current renovation of the Idaho state Capitol – for which the capitol is closed to the public for 30 months – is being highlighted in a new display at the Boise Airport, along with the stately building’s history and future. The two-sided, three-panel display,…
All McDonald’s restaurants in the Treasure Valley are offering a free small order of french fries with purchase during the lunch hour today, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in honor of the late J.R. Simplot. “He gave Idaho potatoes their golden glow,” declares a…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter was scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the Washington state Republican Party convention tonight in Spokane, but now he’s canceled. “He’s going to greet the troops that are coming in tonight at 7:30 … out at Gowen,” said Otter’s press…
Boise has made another magazine ranking, this time ranking No. 4 among Kiplinger’s “10 Best Cities of 2008.” The magazine, which will publish the rankings in its July issue (which is out in two weeks), said its editors ranked cities “with strong economies, abundant jobs,…
Democratic congressional candidate Walt Minnick today called on incumbent GOP Rep. Bill Sali to join him in a series of 10 town-hall meetings throughout the 1st Congressional District over the summer, with no moderator, just the two candidates taking questions from the public and expressing…
Incumbent Idaho legislators who lost their seats in yesterday’s primary election were Rep. Diana Thomas, R-Weiser, an Otter appointee who lost to Judy Boyle; Rep. Curtis Bowers, R-Caldwell, another Otter appointee who lost to Pat Takasugi; Sen. Stan Bastian, R-Eagle, who lost to Chuck Winder;…
When all the votes were finally counted, Idaho Supreme Court Justice Joel Horton held his seat by just 285 votes. In unofficial final results, Horton had 74,665 votes to challenger Judge John Bradbury’s 74,380. Horton told the AP, “I’m pleased though I’d hoped it wouldn’t…
With 71 percent of the vote counted, it’s a virtual dead heat in the contested race for the Idaho Supreme Court. Both incumbent Justice Joel Horton and challenger Judge John Bradbury have 50 percent of the vote. But Horton has a tiny edge, with 52,970…
With 36 percent of the vote counted in the GOP presidential primary in Idaho tonight, John McCain had 72 percent, but Ron Paul had 22 percent, while 6 percent of votes were for uncommitted delegates. Though the GOP nomination already has been decided and McCain…
Today is the day for Idaho’s primary election, with the ballot covering everything from the presidential race to local county commission and legislative contests to a contested non-partisan race for the Idaho Supreme Court. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and with…
Ah, Memorial Day weekend. In Idaho it means military ceremonies, hikes and bike rides, the opening of fishing season on rivers and streams, three days off, the year’s first camping trip for some, and if the weather cooperates, a taste of the summer to come.…
The 10 candidates for Idaho’s open U.S. Senate seat who face off in Tuesday’s election – eight Republicans and two Democrats – all were asked for their positions on the war in Iraq. Here is what they had to say:
Idaho Supreme Court Justice Joel Horton’s campaign finance report is in now, and it hints that much is in the works from his campaign in the final days. As of May 12, Horton’s campaign committee had raised more than $70,000, including a $10,000 loan from…
IACI is stepping directly into campaigning this year, mounting independent expenditure campaigns on behalf of three incumbent Idaho lawmakers and one Senate challenger in the GOP primary election. The business lobbying group reported spending $2,640 on a mailing and advertising on behalf of Clayton Cramer…
State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna has named a 22-member task force to develop standards for evaluating teacher performance, following up after his pay-for-performance plan failed in this year’s Legislature. Luna said, “The work of this task force will be critical in improving the public…
Former Idaho Supreme Court Justice Robert Huntley says the school districts that sued the state and got Idaho’s funding system declared unconstitutional aren’t giving up yet – even though a federal judge has tossed out their lawsuit against five Idaho Supreme Court justices for taking…
Jack Buell, longtime elected Democratic county commissioner in Benewah County, has signed on as a county co-chairman of Republican Congressman Bill Sali’s re-election campaign. The campaign says it’s a sign that Sali has bipartisan support, though they couldn’t name another Democratic supporter. Buell has a…
The two competing candidates for the Idaho Supreme Court clashed over everything from the state’s judicial selection process to political influence on the court, in a debate broadcast live tonight on Idaho Public Television. District Judge John Bradbury of Lewiston, the challenger, said, “It’s who…
Idaho Supreme Court candidates Joel Horton, incumbent, and John Bradbury, challenger, will face off in a debate to be broadcast live tonight on Idaho Public Television. The debate will air at 8:30 p.m. Mountain time, 7:30 Pacific time.
The federal court has issued an order advising the more than 300 potential jurors in the Joseph Duncan case that their term as potential jurors is being extended due to the delays in the case – the judge has ordered a second mental evaluation of…
U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge announced today that even after receiving an evaluation of confessed killer Joseph Duncan’s mental competency, he’s not ready to rule on whether Duncan can act as his own attorney in his death penalty hearings until there’s further review.In a press…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
