If there’s any silver lining in the attempt by some Republican Idaho lawmakers to undercut the state’s five Indian tribes this session, it’s the fact that they’re losing ground among their colleagues.

In the past, Republican legislators, including those in leadership, have had enough clout to coax others into supporting quixotic attempts to hamstring Indian gaming and unconstitutionally grab taxes levied on reservation gasoline. Now, they can’t even get to first base with their backdoor attempts to harass the tribes. In recent weeks, an attempt to reverse the Indian gaming initiative overwhelmingly passed by Idaho voters was swamped in committee by a 13-4 vote. On Thursday, yet another endeavor to grab millions in Indian gas taxes failed on a tie vote in the House Transportation Committee.

Commendably, Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, chairman of the Idaho Council on Indian Affairs, spoke against the attempted gas-tax heist during a three-hour committee hearing, and every Panhandle representative on the committee voted against it, including state Reps. Bob Nonini, R-Post Falls, Phil Hart, R-Athol, and Mary Lou Shepherd, D-Wallace.

North Idaho tribes should take comfort from the support they have from most representatives from their region. In the past, they’ve had the ear of Gov. Phil Batt and in recent years of Gov. Dirk Kempthorne. But almost every year they have been blindsided by legislative attempts to attack their revenue sources or degrade their culture, some of which have bordered on covert racism. Now, southern legislators can’t count on northern ones to embrace their bully tactics because northerners now see the tribes in a new light: Not only are American Indians good neighbors; they’re valuable employers. They deserve respect.

Sponsors and promoters of the latest attempt to snatch reservation gas taxes showed their contempt when they sprang their bill on the tribes, only to be defeated in committee 7-7. The bill should have gone to Jorgenson’s Indian Affairs Committee for review and comment before legislators discussed it in a public hearing. Jorgenson has stressed that protocol since becoming committee chairman. Maybe a few more embarrassments will cause lawmakers to listen to him.

Republican legislative leaders have misfired on several occasions when dealing with Indian issues.

Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, the former Senate majority leader, worked behind the scenes to almost single-handedly torpedo a gaming compact, carefully crafted between Kempthorne’s office and the tribes. As a result, the tribes circumvented the Legislature with a successful initiative drive for looser gaming regulations. Undeterred, Rep. Bert Stevenson, R-Rupert, sought $75,000 for legal expenses to challenge the constitutionality of the initiative last week and was turned back overwhelmingly by the House State Affairs Committee.

The state has already wasted $1.5 million in legal fees fighting for reservation gas taxes.

It would be nice to think that southern Idaho Republicans have learned a lesson in dealing with tribes. But that may be wishful thinking.