Apparently, in order for a democrat to win a primary in Idaho he/she must run against a mentally ill candidate who is facing felony charges. But perhaps you take away a different moral from Betsy Russell's story.

BOISE – A Democratic candidate for Congress in Idaho says he’s learned a lesson, after he didn’t actively campaign during his primary race and ended up with only a 5 percentage point lead over a mentally ill candidate who’s facing felony charges.

“You can’t take anything for granted,” said Jimmy Farris, a Lewiston native and former NFL football player. “We made a conscious decision not to campaign against her. … We chose not to debate or do anything that would really put her situation kind of in the public or highlight it more than it already was.”

Cynthia Clinkingbeard, a former physician who lost her medical license in 2005 due to issues related to her bipolar disorder, took 47 percent of the vote in Idaho’s Democratic primary last week for the 1st Congressional District, while Farris got 53 percent. She won four of the five northernmost counties: Kootenai, Bonner, Benewah and Boundary. Read more.

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