The Washington, D.C. newspaper The Hill is reporting that U.S. House GOP leaders are lining up behind Vaughn Ward in the Republican race for a chance to take on freshman Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick, though state Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, says he'll also be jumping into the race and former GOP Congressman Bill Sali still hasn't decided whether or not to try for a comeback. Minnick narrowly defeated Sali in 2008 to become the first Democrat to hold Idaho's 1st District congressional seat since 1994. The Hill reported that an array of national GOP leaders, including House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Chief Deputy Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., will headline a Dec. 8 fundraiser for Ward in Washington, D.C.,  showing that "Republican leaders are asserting their preference in the primary." The fundraiser invitation also bears the name of Idaho 2nd District Congressman Mike Simpson, the paper reported.

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