Parting Shots: Risch, LaRocco Announce

Kathy Plonka/Spokesman-Review

Betsy Russell/Spokesman-Review Photo

Above, former Idaho Gov. Jim Risch announced today at the Coeur d’Alene Resort that he’s running for Larry Craig’s seat in the Senate. Below, Democrat Larry LaRocco challenger is shown at a press conference in Boise Tuesday. LaRocco announced April 11.

North Idaho elected officials and GOP supporters turned out in droves for Lt. Gov. Jim Risch’s senate announcement at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Tuesday. State legislators, including Mike Jorgensen, Shawn Keough, Bob Nonini, Dick Harwood, Phil Hart, Jim Hammond, George Eskridge and Mary Lou Shepherd flanked Risch as he announced what’s long been rumored: he’s running for the United States Senate. “I’m in,” Risch told the crowd of about 100. Audience members included Jerry Jaeger, Tom Addis, Rocky Watson, Tom Cronin, Dan Gookin, Kerri Thoreson, Deanna Goodlander, Duane Rasmussen, Phil Thompson, Rick Currie, Steve Casey, Ron Vieselmeyer and Louise Shadduck, who will serve as Risch’s North Idaho campaign chairwoman. Calling Shadduck a mentor, Risch asked the celebrated writer and historian, now in her early 90s, if he’d told her she’d be going door to door for his campaign. “That’s what I’ve been doing all morning,” Shadduck yelled from the crowd/ Meghann M. Cuniff , Spokesman-Review.