Huckleberries Online

LA Times: Minnick’s A Different Demo

Posted by DFO

Feb. 20, 2009 8:50 a.m. • 15 comments

Minnick is the first Democrat in 16 years to win a congressional seat in Idaho, which may be the most Republican state in the country. His narrow victory was a small but striking example of Democrats’ growing political strength in the Rocky Mountain region; six of the 21 House seats the party gained in November were won out West. But success brings its own set of challenges. If Democrats hope to remain a majority party nationally, they will have to embrace a fresh breed of Western candidate like Minnick, 66, a former corporate executive who campaigned as a pro-gun, anti-tax, small-government conservative and shows every intention of behaving like one. Party leaders seem mindful of that reality. Days after the stimulus bill passed the House and the rookie lawmaker published his criticism in newspapers across Idaho, Minnick was invited to fly home as Vice President Joe Biden’s guest aboard Air Force Two. He reluctantly skipped the trip to Boise and the Special Olympics rather than miss a day of votes/Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times. More here.

Question: Some Idaho Demos are upset that new Congressman Walt Minnick is behaving like a Republican. Does that bother you?

15 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

lynns on February 20 at 9:32 a.m.
Looks like he’s pretty much doing what he said he’d do in the campaign and making liars of the ones who said he’d be a puppet on Nancy Pelosi’s strings. But it’s hard to judge after a month and a half.
hollykb on February 20 at 10:28 a.m.
“a stretch of the north is dubbed ‘blue heaven,’ for the many retired Los Angeles police officers living there.”

Anyone else familiar with this nickname? I have never heard it….
MikeK on February 20 at 10:37 a.m.
I don’t agree that Walt is “behaving like a Republican”, (whatever that means). He’s behaving like Walt Minnick, which is what people wanted when they elected him. I think his stock is increasing with moderates and businesspeople and pragmatic GOP folks who swing elections who might have been concerned or skeptical of a Democrat. That’s because he is doing exactly what he believes and what he said he would do when he ran. Anyone paying attention during the election would not be surprised at Walt’s votes.
JamesBond on February 20 at 10:59 a.m.
I’m mixed. On the one hand, I’m mad that he acts more like a Republican than many of Idaho’s GOP “leaders” act, and yet I’m happy that a Nixon man can find a place in Idaho, in the Democrat Party.
misc on February 20 at 12:18 p.m.
After the likes of Sali, Otter and Chenoweth, he’s a welcome relief.
Transplanted_Texan on February 20 at 12:53 p.m.
Meh. My mom wonders why I’m a Democrat anyway.
toadman on February 20 at 1:01 p.m.
“Meh. My mom wonders why I’m a Democrat anyway.” - TT

Meh. My mom thinks I’m GOING TO HELL for voting Democrat. Beat that!
Bent on February 20 at 5:58 p.m.
“Some Idaho Demos are upset …” — DFO

If they are upset over Minnick’s actions to date, they are not “Idaho” democratics. They are either transplanted democratics or they are simple “sheeple” who are following rather than leading…

I’m no democratic, but I have talked with Congressman Minninck extensively, and I am impressed — we finally have a 1st district congressman who is going to represent his district over his own ideological bent …

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.