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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Yes, Virginia, Sheriff Ben could lose

It's hard to imagine that a popular sheriff like Ben Wolfinger could lose to "constitutional sheriff" candidate John Green. But he could. And state Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene, could lose to Tea Party "star" Arthur Macomber. And qualified challenger Paul Amador could lose to state Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur d'Alene, who is better known for what she's against (public schools, child support enforcement, mental health crisis center, etc.) than what she's for. But two factors are in play that could put a Tea Party candidate in office in all three of those spots. Voter apathy and a closed Republican primary.

Make no mistake. The Phil Hart/Brent Regan wing of the local GOP is primed for the complete take over. Its minions will vote. Unfortunately, while the Hard Right approaches elections, esp. closed primaries with religious fervor, too many voters remain fat, dumb and happy. The regular Joes and Janes turn out for the GOPresidential primary because they think Idaho makes a difference on the national level. It doesn't. Meanwhile, the casual voter is not interested in the races that really do make a difference. Most will stay home May 17. Which is what the Tea Party wants.

Rather than continue this rant, I'll tell you the two things you need to do to give good candidates like Wolfinger, Malek, Amador and Peter Riggs: You need to register to vote in the Republican primary and vote on May 17. Also, you need to contact five other people you know who support mainstream Republican values that view proper funding of education more important than chasing such silly, unconstitutional ideas as state control of federal lands. You need to persuade them to register for the Republican primary. And vote. The Tea Party knows that it wins if regular voters stay home. If that happens, we get two more years of unresponsive, ideological (mis)representation from the likes of Sims, Cheatham, Barbieri, Mendive, etc.

Kootenai County needs Sheriff Ben and legislators like Malek, Riggs and Amador, not crusty ideologues who are suffering a hardening of the arguments/DFO.



Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.