Free tickets remain for Cheney’s visit

Free tickets are still available for U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney’s visit to Coeur d’Alene on Thursday for an “Idaho Victory Rally.”

It’s unknown exactly how many of the estimated 2,000 vouchers remain, but GOP officials expect to have some on hand today at the Republican Party Headquarters in Coeur d’Alene, 1113 Sherman Ave.

“It’s chaos,” said Jayson Ronk, executive director of the Republican Party of Idaho, who was at the Coeur d’Alene headquarters Monday. “People were coming in constantly. At times there was a line out the door.”

Volunteers doled out hundreds of tickets Monday, including some VIP passes to people selected by the local GOP club. Those VIP vouchers will get people such as “super volunteers” closer to the stage being erected in the Empire Air hangar at the Coeur d’Alene Airport.

Initially it was reported that the rally was invitation-only and would include about 500 people. Ronk attributed the report to misinformation and too many people making comments to the news media.

The vice president’s wife, Lynne Cheney, will accompany him for the 5 p.m. speech.Cheney’s visit – his second to Idaho in three months – comes as Republicans are pulling out all the stops to rally Idaho voters for the Nov. 7 election.

Unlike Cheney’s August campaign call in Boise, this isn’t a fundraiser for any particular candidate. Cheney previously stumped for Republican Bill Sali, who is vying for the open 1st Congressional District seat against Democrat Larry Grant.

Ronk said he expects most statewide Republican candidates and many local Republican candidates to attend the rally.

The Coeur d’Alene stop is one of four quick visits Cheney will make this week to the Rocky Mountain West. It’s an area where Democrats have been making gains in the past two years, including taking the Montana governorship and majorities in both houses of the Colorado Legislature.

Cheney will stop Wednesday in Kalispell, Mont., then head to Colorado on Friday.

Doors for the rally open at 3:30 p.m. Those who plan to attend are asked to arrive no later than 4:30 p.m.

For more information, call party headquarters at (208) 765-8259.