Idaho's bipartisan citizen redistricting commission has submitted its new legislative district plan, approved on a unanimous 6-0 vote, to Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa (pictured). Ysursa, joining the confab by phone from a meeting of the National Association of Secretaries of State, told the commissioners, “I sure want to thank you for all the work you've done.” He quoted Commissioner Sheila Olsen about a “triumph of civility,” and said in his view, that's what occurred in the commission. “We can get going for that May primary,” Ysursa said. “Obviously there could be lawsuits, but I think you've done a commendable job of it. Thank you all for your service”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

Question: Lawerence Denney plans to apologize to his caucus for his boorish behavior toward 2 appointed Republican redistricters and Norm Semanko doesn't plan to seek re-election to his office as Idaho GOP chairman. Do you think the redistricters have won the day and this plan will survive?

Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko has sent out a guest opinion defending his attempt to try to fire GOP redistricting commissioner Randy Hansen, touting the party's Idaho electoral successes and announcing that he won't seek another term as party chairman. Semanko wrote that the “secret to our success” was that “the grassroots of our Party was motivated and energized to recruit candidates and support them because they were included, and we weren't shy about standing up for our core, conservative Republican principles.” He wrote, “As I conclude my four year tenure as Chairman and hand the reins over to someone else at the Republican State Convention in Twin Falls this summer, this will be my proudest accomplishment”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

Question: Interesting point Semanko makes re: persons from Hansen's Twin Falls area being among those calling for his ouster. And that Twin Falls filed suit against the redistricting plan. What do you think?

Update: House Speaker Lawerence Denney has appointed Bob Forrey of Nampa and State Chairman Norm Semanko has appointed Angela Cross of Post Falls.

The Republican Party is suing the secretary of state over redistricting in the Idaho Supreme Court, contending the party's chairman and the speaker of the House of Representatives have the power to fire their appointees and name new members to the panel. Republican Chairman Norm Semanko (right) and House Speaker Lawerence Denney (left) want to remove redistricting commissioners Randy Hansen, a former Twin Falls legislator, and Dolores Crow, a former House member from Nampa. But the Idaho attorney general says Semanko and Denney don't have the power to remove them, even though they appointed Hansen and Crow to the panel/Associated Press. More here.

Question: Would Kootenai County/North Idaho benefit from having a redistricter from Post Falls (if the Idaho GOP is permitted to replace current commissioners)?