Trib: Has Labrador been lucky so far?

In his Sunday editorial, Opinion Editor Marty Trillhaase of the Lewiston Tribune comments:

Seven years ago, Raul Labrador had to do nothing less than catch lightning in a bottle.

To become Idaho’s next 1st District congressman, he’d have to overcome two longshots:

• Take out the GOP establishment’s anointed choice, Iraq War veteran Vaughn Ward, in the Republican primary.
• Then oust incumbent Walt Minnick, a Blue Dog Democrat so conservative he could pass for a Republican - and drew considerable support from moderates and the business community.

Labrador prevailed. But as he now prepares to run for governor, it’s worth pondering the question still hanging over the results: Was he better at sizing up opportunities than anyone else?

Or was Labrador’s win just a fluke? More here.