Help HBO Help College Researcher

Austin Cope, a student at Oberlin College in northern Ohio, is writing a research paper “that predicts the election result and determinants in a specific state.” He writes to Huckleberries Online: “I’m trying to get perspectives from people in Idaho about what factors will determine Idaho’s electoral vote. I thought that as a journalist covering the election in Idaho, you would be a great person to help.” Here’s the questions Austin asks:

• Do you think the margin of victory for Romney (I’m assuming Romney will win— it would be crazy if he didn’t) will be bigger in Idaho this year than the margin for McCain? Why?
• What do you think will be the bigger draw to the polls for Idaho voters: the question over Propositions 1, 2, and 3, or the presidential election?
• Do Idaho voters generally vote because of specific issues, or because of party loyalty? What might some specific issues be that Idaho voters feel strongly about?

DFO: Feel free to weigh in. I’ll send your responses to him, as well as my own.