Opinion Column
Idaho Election Notes: WTH?
By Jill Kuraitis, 11-08-06
I really don’t know what the hell happened in Idaho yesterday, but have a few theories.
A nation fed up with Bush, Iraq and Republican corruption rose up and said, “Hey, you Republican majority guys? Don’t let the Capitol doors hit you in the ass on the way out.”
Idaho did not rise up. It whined, “I just can’t vote Democrat, I just CAN’T, even though I really can’t stand the Republican” and sat its ass back down.
Idaho said, “I can tolerate the gays I guess, but letting them get married is sick and wrong,” passing HJR 2 63/37.
But then Boise voters rejected a religious-right proposal to put up a Ten Commandments monument in Julia Davis Park.
Idaho also said that out-of-state funding of Proposition 2, the eminent domain proposal, was just too much to take, and squashed it with a stunning 74% no.
But then Idaho turned around and said that out-of-state funding from the Club for Growth to help elect Bill Sali to the U.S. House was GOOD, and elected Sali over Grant, 50/45.
Idaho Republicans have talked about “running Idaho like a business” for years, but elected a State Controller without a degree or qualifications (but with an R by her name) over a Democrat with an MBA in finance and accounting and years of financial management experience: Donna Jones 59, Jackie Groves-Twilegar 41.
The schizophrenic nature of Idaho voters played it fast and loose yesterday.
Just a week ago, Idaho polls showed the governor’s race at a dead heat, and Larry Grant beating Bill Sali for the U.S. House seat. There were large numbers of undecided voters, but voter I.D. phone calls made by Democrats showed a majority of them were leaning left. Then as national returns started to come in last night, the tide was so strong that it seemed….surely the same thing would happen here, or some diluted version of it.
But when it arrived, it was so diluted that the only effect was on a few races for the Statehouse, some county commissions, and a dogcatcher somewhere over in Minidoka County.
Oh, okay, I made that last part up. Quite possibly, a lot of Idaho voters who answered poll questions were making things up, too.
The Idaho Secretary of State’s website has just-about-final election results, with the exception of the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction between Tom Luna R and Jana Jones (D). That one isn’t official yet.
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Thanks to our fellow Idahoans who supported Club For Growth's spokesman Sali, "Write the Check Out to" Simpson, "Put A Dollar In My Pants and I'll Dance For You" Otter, "Children are just little widgets" Luna, and "Let Me List Your Property" Jones, we can say "Goodbye" to the Idaho we've known and loved.
We are truly the best state money can buy...
The second thing is this: Dems did better at voter outreach than in the past by putting phone banks in all 44 counties, but not the pounding voters got from the Rs. We will have to build on this. I got THREE robo-calls from Butch Otter's former mistress (now wife), one from Mitt Romney and one from Mike Crapo...all on my cell phone and all with the laughable theme that Butch is a good family guy. (Laughable to those of us who live in the Boise area and have been around for awhile.) They were obviously phoning the Mommy List.
Luna sent my husband two postcards right after he requested an absentee ballot. NOT ONE from a Democrat. Maybe the Ds were just playing it smart and saving their dimes by not sending cards to a sure vote. But more than likely the D campaigns did not have the money for even that fundamental voter outreach.
Prop 1's failure had more to do with Risch not merely clouding the water: he defecated in it. The confusion stopped Prop 1s momentum cold. And Risch knew it. Otter and Risch will do nothing to make up the lost funding...because his tax shift was supposed to REPLACE the property tax dedicated to schools. It doesn't. Schools come up short. Thanks, Risch. When it begins to dawn on Idaho parents, you won't even be able to run for Guy Who Sweeps Horse Poo Off The Street After Parads.
Oooops...another little rant.
But the real dagger is the Sali/Grant race. Sali is such an idiot, so incompetent, when i read his record and statements - i didnt think their was any way Grant could lose. I was obviously wrong (Sali thinks abortions cause breast cancer. No joke - google the topic).
So...why? I think Grant was too blaise, while Sali got an influx of outside cash (as others have alluded). Grant, while decent in the one debate - didnt capitalize on Sali's stupidity on all fronts.
Same goes for the State Controller race. Donna Jones? she's a pig farmer with no degree. Jackie Groves Twiligear has an MBA from Northwestern. Managed large corp finances. So why not elect her?
Idahoans just want government out of their business, period - and i understand that. So incompetence is better than potential intrusion. Or trust in the GOP is better than potential intrusion - and if incompetence comes along with that - then so be it.
From a statistical perspective, 5-7% increase in Dem voter turnout changes the election dramatically - and i know folks dont vote. Just like the GOP rallying their base with fringe topics - ID Dems need to really rally the base on heartfelt issues that bring out the vote.
When i went to a dem rally in Moscow, ID for the Dem controller candidate (democratic country in ID if there is such a place) - there were 10 people there. ?!? All were over 50. 30,000 students live within 30 miles. Do the math.
Some of us who meet for coffee decided it was going to be kinda fun, in a twisted sort of way, to see Bill Sali as Nancy Pelosi's "bitch" for a couple years... There is a God, and She is smiling.