Former state Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, who ran unsuccessfully against Gov. Butch Otter in the GOP primary last year as Otter sought his third term as governor, has endorsed GOP U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo for re-election. Fulcher said in a statement, “For America to survive and prosper, there must be leadership in Washington, D.C. to eliminate debt, thwart terrorism, advance the free market, protect the traditional American family, and establish energy independence through wise localized resource management. I support Sen. Mike Crapo because he is one leader that agrees, and he acts accordingly.”

Crapo, in a campaign news release, said, “I’m truly grateful for Russ’s support. Russ knows how critical it is that our national government recognize and follow the sound, time-tested conservative principles by which the people of Idaho expect to be governed.”

Fulcher mounted his challenge against Otter from the right, reaching out to tea party factions within the Idaho GOP. He drew 43.6 percent of the primary vote to Otter’s 51.4 percent, with two fringe candidates, Harley Brown and Walter Bayes, trailing with 3.3 and 1.8 percent respectively. Otter went on to win with 53.5 percent of the vote in the general election.