The Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry is tying Democratic gubernatorial candidate A.J. Balukoff to President Obama. Linking an Idaho Democrat to an unpopular White House is a tried and true tactic. It will work again. Unless the conversations at Idaho's barber shops, golf courses, fishing holes, farmers markets, church socials and pool tables go like this: "Who's your choice for governor?" "The other fellow." "What other fellow?" "You know. Buzenschitz. Baryshnikov." "Do you mean Balukoff?" "Yes. That one." Bill Hall, the editor emeritus of this page, heard the same kind of talk in 1966. Gov. Robert E. Smylie looked strong enough to scare off any credible opposition, at least within his own party. Smylie's one opponent was a backbencher from Sandpoint, state Sen. Don Samuelson, and no one took him seriously. But Hall started hearing talk of support for "the other fellow." Samuelson ended up defeating Smylie with 61 percent in the GOP primary/Marty Trillhaase, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: Do you think the Tea-publicans might turn against Butch this fall?