Huckleberries Hears …

… that some conservative Kootenai County Repubs are upset at Gov. Butch Otter’s nomination of KMC official Don Soltman to take Sue Thilo’s seat on the state Board of Education. In fact, some might show in protest when Sen. John Goedde’s Education Committee considers the appointment this week. Seems local R’s haven’t forgotten that Soltman was one of those controversial Republicans for Walt Minnick who helped torpedo uberconservative Congressman Bill Sali’s unsuccessful bid for re-election. In an article last fall , Betsy Russell asked Soltman re: Sali, and got this answer: “I think he’s just too far to the right, and that type of posture doesn’t serve us well when you’re trying to work in more of a bipartisan way. I don’t think you can get stuff done in Washington without compromise and reaching across the aisle.” One insider told Huckleberries that Goedde’s committee is split between conservatives and liberals — and that Goedde could cast the deciding vote that sends the nomination to the full Senate. Stay tuned.