Hump Day Wild Card — 10.5.16

Idaho Republican candidates in near sure-thing races have a nasty habit of skipping debates. Usually, it’s an incumbent running for re-election who shirks his or her duty to face an underdog opponent. The odds-on GOP candidate doesn’t want to make a major mistake in a debate, figuring that voters don’t care one way or the other if s/he shows up. However, Republican commissioner candidate Bob Bingham isn’t an incumbent. And he does have an opponent, Russ McLain. Bingham is the only candidate of 14 invited to a candidates’ forum in Athol who has failed to respond to repeated requests for debate confirmation. I don’t know who his handlers are. But I wonder if an individual who is afraid to face constituents in a rural candidates forum has what it takes to handle tough issues at the commissioner level. You can comment on Bingham’s refusal to attend the forum or any other issue with this Wild Card …