Jim Risch is running to replace Larry Craig in the U.S. Senate, but he probably isn't welcoming comparisons of him to the disgraced Craig. It is therefore strange to see Lt. Gov. Risch mail a fundraising letter that could have come straight out of one of Craig's campaigns. The letter warns recipients that if they don't send Risch plenty of cash right now, "this battleground U.S. Senate seat could easily be lost" - and lost to a Democrat yet. How could that be in such a conservative state? The letter explains that "for the last several months the national Democrat Party has been targeting Idaho's U.S. Senate race. They think that because Senator Larry Craig is retiring in 2008, they can funnel enough money from left-wing donors in Democrat bastions like New York City and Hollywood to steal this U.S. Senate seat from the GOP"/Jim Fisher, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: How would you rate Demo Larry LaRocco's chance to beat Repub Lt. Gov. Jim Risch in next fall's election: Slim and none, snowball in hell, long-shot, none, anything can happen if you show up and run.

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