Idaho’s upside-down primary results

Bill Dentzer of the Idaho Statesman takes on the claim by Wayne Hoffman of Idaho Freedom Foundation that Idaho conservatives had their best night in years. In “5 takeaways: Idaho’s upside-down primary election results,” Dentzer writes:

“It’s hard not to read a repudiation of the Freedom Foundationers in the results — for tactics perhaps more than the policies so conspicuously represented in the index on which they grade lawmakers. In 11 races where IFF was particularly active, it won just four. That would give it a failing grade on the “Idaho Freedom Influence Index” — a new measure invented for this commentary. Hoffman said its political action arm sent mailings out in 11 races and won five, including one race for an open seat in Idaho Falls. The race that best illustrated that rejection was McCammon Rep. Kelley Packer’s big win in her District 28 Republican primary. Packer directly took on the IFF, calling it out for “bullying” tactics during the session.” More here.

Question: Could it be that Wayne & Co remain in denial after they failed to knock off the Big 3 — Keough, Malek & Packer — and lost “Freedom Index” A-minus legislators Sims, McMillan & Nuxoll. What are the four other steps of grief?