CQ Politics picks up on a new challenger for Bill Sali:
You know that the fast-starting 2008 congressional election cycle has begun in earnest when challenger candidates start publicizing their bids for next year’s elections in places not known for hot competition — such as Idaho’s strongly conservative 1st Congressional District. Democrat Rand C. Lewis already has established his plans to take on freshman Republican Rep. Bill Sali in that western Idaho district.
It is far from clear, and may not be for quite a while, whether Lewis — a retired army colonel with a Ph.D. in history — will have the Democratic field to himself. Local politics watchers are awaiting word from the 2006 Democratic nominee, former Micron Technology executive Larry Grant, who lost to Sali but by a margin of just 5 percentage points, 50 percent to 45 percent, with three other candidates splitting the remaining 5 percent.
Lewis is a history professor at the University of Idaho and neighboring Washington State. He's a newcomer to Idaho Democratic politics. He dipped his toe into the 2006 primary, but entered late and determined he couldn't raise enough money to be credible, so he backed out after a few weeks. He blipped onto the local blogosphere, and then blipped off. But he's serious about the race now, even having hosted a hospitality suite at the state's Frank Church dinner a few weeks back.
Lewis's early entrance, and minor CQ splash, will hopefully be good for the Idaho party, energizing it a bit. Of course, everyone is waiting to find out what last year's candidate, netroots hero Larry Grant is going to do. Given how strong he ran last time, he'd be passing up a great opportunity by not running in '08. Because of his close run, greater name recognition, and established credibility as a candidate, he'd have few problems raising money this time around and would make the primary tough for Lewis.
Then there's the unknown of the GOP side. Everyone I've talked to in Idaho says Sali is going to be primaried. I think this depends in part on whether Idaho Senator Larry Craig retires, leaving way for Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, who wants a new office. He'd be a shoe-in for ID-01, and damned tough for any Democrat to beat.
All the same, veteran Idaho politics watcher Randy Stapilus isn't writing Sali off:
Lewis is talking about the need to prepare and fund-raise early, and that’s no doubt true. In this district which has chosen Republicans for the U.S. House in every election there since 1966 (save two), Sali starts the 2008 run with a distinct advantage. And it may as well be said now too: To this point, he’s done nothing since taking office in Washington that seems likely to hurt him politically back in the district, and at least some of what he’s done seems likely to improve his standing. Anyone thinking him an easy target in 2008 will need to do a rethink. [emphasis mine]
It's a sad reflection on Idaho that proposing legislation to suspend the law of gravity is par for the course from a GOP congressman, and not a great embarrassment. It was a rhetorical ploy, but a ridiculous one nonetheless. To answer Stapilus, though, I'd say, give him time. It's only been three months. Unless the minority leadership is keeping him locked in his office, only allowing him out to vote, he's going to do something outrageous.