Rammell to switch races, Crane’s not running for Congress

Rex Rammell, a former elk rancher and veterinarian who ran for the U.S. Senate as an independent in 2008, garnering 5.4 percent of the vote, announced a couple of weeks ago that he’d challenge U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson in the Republican primary next year, but now he’s withdrawing from that race and entering a different one. Rammell says he’s pulling out of the 2nd District congressional race “in order to run for governor or the U.S. Senate in 2010.” He’s scheduled an announcement for Wednesday.

Meanwhile, state Treasurer Ron Crane told the Idaho Press-Tribune he’s decided against running for the 1st District congressional seat in 2010. Crane’s interest in that run had prompted House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, to mull a run for Crane’s post. Already in the GOP race for the 1st District seat,  now held by Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick, is Vaughn Ward, a Marine and former aide to Sen. Dirk Kempthorne. Former 1st District GOP Congressman Bill Sali, whom Minnick defeated last year, hasn’t decided on whether to make another run.