Full slate in store for state elections this year

BOISE – Idaho has a wild election year shaping up, with 11 candidates running for North Idaho’s open congressional seat, nine running for governor, and a former congressman likely to square off with a sitting governor next fall for lieutenant governor.

“Some of these races will be interesting all the way through the general election,” said Boise State University political scientist Jim Weatherby. “But this will be a fascinating primary election, particularly in the Republican Party, where virtually the entire spectrum of the party is represented in the 1st District congressional race.”

There are also “significant differences” among the candidates in the race for state superintendent of schools, he noted, which will see primary races in both parties. In fact, the only statewide post that’s going uncontested is secretary of state; current Secretary Ben Ysursa drew no challengers.

The last-minute shocker at the filing deadline Friday was the addition of former 1st District Congressman Larry LaRocco, a Democrat, to the lieutenant governor’s race.

That race already includes another Democrat, Dan Romero, and current Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, who will become acting governor if Gov. Dirk Kempthorne is confirmed as U.S. secretary of the interior – but then will run for re-election as lieutenant governor. Constitution Party candidate William Charles Wellisch also is in that race.

Interestingly, if LaRocco were to win the Democratic primary, next November wouldn’t be the first time he and Risch clashed. LaRocco unsuccessfully challenged Risch for the state Senate in 1986 when Risch was Senate president pro-tem, in what Weatherby said was that year’s premier legislative race.

Several third-party candidates signed up on the final day to join the six Republicans and two Democrats in the 1st District race, and the governor’s race now includes four Republicans, two Democrats, and two third-party candidates.

The biggest names there are GOP Congressman Butch Otter and Democrat Jerry Brady, who took 41.7 percent of the vote running against Kempthorne four years ago. But the race also includes anti-abortion protester Walter Bayes, who recently went on a hunger strike to promote anti-abortion legislation; and Republican Dan Adamson, of Pocatello, who wants to encourage primary turnout by offering voters “a post-primary election taco party,” according to his campaign literature, which adds, “Viva el Taco Gratis!”

Here are the candidates:

“Congress, 1st District: Paul Smith, Constitution Party, Letha; Larry Grant, D-Fruitland; Cecil Kelly, D-Coeur d’Alene; Dave Olson, independent, St. Maries; Andy Hedden-Nicely, Natural Law, Boise; Skip Brandt, R-Kooskia; Keith Johnson, R-Boise; Bill Sali, R-Kuna; Norm Semanko, R-Eagle; Sheila Sorensen, R-Boise; Robert Vasquez, R-Caldwell.

“Governor: Marvin Richardson, Con-Letha; Jerry Brady, D-Idaho Falls; Lee Chaney Sr., D-Preston; Ted Dunlap, Libertarian, Kuna; Dan Adamson, R-Pocatello; Walter Bayes, R-Wilder; Jack Alan Johnson, R-Boise; C.L. “Butch” Otter, R-Star.

“Lieutenant governor: William Charles Wellisch, Con-Dingle; Larry LaRocco, D-McCall; Dan Romero, D-Nampa; Jim Risch, R-Boise.

“Secretary of state: Ben Ysursa, R-Boise (incumbent).

“State controller: Jackie Groves Twilegar, D-Boise; Royce Chigbrow, R-Boise; Donna M. Jones, R-Payette.

“State treasurer: Jill L. Ellsworth, D-Boise; Ron G. Crane, R-Nampa (incumbent).

“Attorney general: Robert A. “Bob” Wallace, D-Boise; Myron Dan Gabbert, R-McCall; Lawrence G. Wasden, R-Nampa (incumbent).

“Superintendent of Public Instruction: Jana L. Jones, D-Boise; Bert Marley, D-McCammon; Steve Casey, R-Coeur d’Alene; Tom Luna, R-Nampa; Steve Smylie, R-Boise.