Two more join GOP race for Congress

BOISE – Two more candidates entered the crowded race for the GOP nomination to represent North Idaho in Congress on Thursday, bringing the field to an even half-dozen and opening up another statewide office.

State Controller Keith Johnson announced he’s forgoing a run for re-election to seek the 1st District seat in Congress, which represents the northern and western portions of the state. That leaves open the state controller’s post, which until Johnson’s appointment and then election in 2002, had been continuously held by Democrats for 44 years.

“There’ll be no question about it, we will have a very, very strong candidate and we’re going to try and reclaim that office,” said state Democratic Party Chairman Richard Stallings.

State Rep. Bill Sali also joined the GOP race for Congress on Thursday, calling himself “the only tested and proven social and fiscal conservative in the race.”

Sali, 51, an eight-term representative and an attorney from Kuna, has long championed anti-abortion legislation in the Idaho Legislature. The former chairman of the House Health and Welfare Committee, he lost his chairmanship in a clash with his party’s leadership.

“I was encouraged by my friends and colleagues to take a look at this, and after a great deal of prayer and reflection, decided it was time,” Sali said Thursday.

The crowded race doesn’t worry him, he said. “It takes a smaller number to win. It’s good, unless you have people chopping at your piece of the pie, which I do. Everybody’s claiming to be a conservative.”

Johnson, 43, said he couldn’t pass up the chance to run for the open congressional seat. “In a perfect world, I suppose it’d be ideal if I could run for re-election as controller and serve a little longer. I really enjoy what I’m doing; it’s a great job. … But the fact that it’s an open seat now makes it an appropriate time to make that change.”

Others already in the race include state Sen. Skip Brandt, R-Kooskia; Idaho Water Users head Norm Semanko; Canyon County Commissioner Robert Vasquez; and former state Sen. Sheila Sorensen, R-Boise.

Sorensen issued a statement welcoming Johnson and Sali to the race on Thursday – before Johnson had actually announced. Both filed statements of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on Aug. 8.

“We now have six candidates for this congressional seat – all with different ideas and approaches. That is good for the Republican Party and good for the election process,” Sorensen said.

So far, former Micron Technology Vice President Larry Grant of Fruitland is the only Democrat eyeing the race; he’s formed an exploratory committee.

The rush to run was prompted when current 1st District GOP Rep. Butch Otter announced back in December – before he’d even been sworn in for his current term – that he’d skip a re-election bid to run for governor.

Boise State University political scientist Jim Weatherby said, “This would be one of the most competitive races we’ve had in many years, with every candidate in the race so far having a chance of winning,” even if only by a narrow plurality.

Weatherby said 2006 could potentially be a barn-burner of an election year in Idaho, with open races for governor, possibly lieutenant governor, state controller, possibly state superintendent of schools and Congress.

“It is rare indeed when you have major offices like that with no incumbent – open seats, five of them,” he said.

Gov. Dirk Kempthorne is leaving office after his second term, and Lt. Gov. Jim Risch is among those expected to run for governor. State Superintendent of Schools Marilyn Howard, the only Democrat among current Idaho statewide office-holders, hasn’t yet announced her intentions, but candidates have been lining up in case she decides not to seek a third term.

Sali said his top issues would be cutting taxes and regulation and streamlining government. Plus, he said, “I’ll be as pro-life and promote those things as much as I can in Congress as I have in the state Legislature.”

Johnson listed his top issues as controlling federal spending and reforming management of public lands, and said his background as a CPA and his work as state controller and a state Land Board member has prepared him for the job. “For our businesses and communities to be able to thrive and prosper in Idaho, it’s going to be incumbent on us to be able to use those publicly owned lands in an economically productive fashion,” he said.

The primary election is May 23.