Day 12: Idaho

[Alcon]

This is actually a very interesting state.

Discuss away, scurvy sea dogs.

[© tweed]

Author Ernest Hemingway commited suicide in Idaho in 1961.

John Kerry defeated John Edwards in this state 58-24% in the largely ignored Feb 24 Idaho caucuses.

That's all I know about Idaho.

[WalterMitty]

i actually heard someone on here once (cant remember who) say that in 10 years idaho would be voting like oregon.

that was lol funny.

[Joe Republic]

Its governor is Republican.  Its two senators are both Republican.  Its congressional representatives are both Republican.  Its state Senate is 80% Republican.  Its state House is 81% Republican.  It gave the Republican a 38% margin of victory in 2004.  All but one county voted for the Republican in 2000 and 2004.

A battleground swing state for sure.

[MaC]

Its governor is Republican.  Its two senators are both Republican.  Its congressional representatives are both Republican.  Its state Senate is 80% Republican.  Its state House is 81% Republican.  It gave the Republican a 38% margin of victory in 2004.  All but one county voted for the Republican in 2000 and 2004.

A battleground swing state for sure.

'nuff said.  I'd say probably 2nd most Republican state (behind Utah)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

An interesting contrast between the agricultural (and heavily Mormon) South, white collar Boise, and the Panhandle (kinda Montana-ish really) isn't there?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

i actually heard someone on here once (cant remember who) say that in 10 years idaho would be voting like oregon.

that was lol funny.

Kind of like when you said Oregon was the Gore state most likely to flip.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

It did go to Johnson in '64... by 1.8%

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

1992 is also interesting - Perot was just over a point away from beating Clinton in the state.  Libertarian "Bo" Gritz got 2.1% in the state that year.

[Alcon]

An interesting contrast between the agricultural (and heavily Mormon) South, white collar Boise, and the Panhandle (kinda Montana-ish really) isn't there?

Yes, which is exactly why it's interesting.  There is also Moscow, in Latah County, in the panhandle, a college city that voted Kerry.

There are a number of working class, heavily white cities in northern Idaho that voted for Kerry, such as Smelterville and Wallace.

[bgwah]

Northern Idaho is the only place that could go Democrat sometime in the near future. And even then that would probably only be a few counties. But still, this area is part of the Eastern WA/Western MT area. It should be part of Washington actually, but Idaho put their university there so the feds would let them keep it. Jerks.

Now you know why Northern Idaho uses Pacific time.

[Colin]

An interesting contrast between the agricultural (and heavily Mormon) South, white collar Boise, and the Panhandle (kinda Montana-ish really) isn't there?

Yes, which is exactly why it's interesting.  There is also Moscow, in Latah County, in the panhandle, a college city that voted Kerry.

Those damn Commies in Moscow.

[bgwah]

An interesting contrast between the agricultural (and heavily Mormon) South, white collar Boise, and the Panhandle (kinda Montana-ish really) isn't there?

Yes, which is exactly why it's interesting.  There is also Moscow, in Latah County, in the panhandle, a college city that voted Kerry.

Those damn Commies in Moscow.

I think Immy lives in Moscow.

[minionofmidas]

Al's post belongs in the past tense - while the contrast is still there, it's not as marked as it was in political results (it's still the obvious division on other sociopolitical levels, it's just not as much of a political cleavage anymore.)
Blaine Co is Sun Valley. It's one of the wealthier counties in Idaho - and it swung further Dem by a good deal, your usual Western resort city trend there.
Boise, traditionally a very Republican city, also swung Dem by something like 5 points from 2000 to 2004.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Al's post belongs in the past tense - while the contrast is still there, it's not as marked as it was in political results (it's still the obvious division on other sociopolitical levels, it's just not as much of a political cleavage anymore.)

It is in state level elections

[minionofmidas]

Al's post belongs in the past tense - while the contrast is still there, it's not as marked as it was in political results (it's still the obvious division on other sociopolitical levels, it's just not as much of a political cleavage anymore.)

It is in state level elections

If the state Senate's 80% Rep, there's gotta be some Republicans elected in NW Idaho too...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If the state Senate's 80% Rep, there's gotta be some Republicans elected in NW Idaho too...

All of that areas state senators are currently Republicans; the Democrats do pretty well up their in state house elections though... it's pretty much (but not quite) the reverse in Boise for some reason.
Unless my figures are wrong.

[minionofmidas]

If the state Senate's 80% Rep, there's gotta be some Republicans elected in NW Idaho too...

All of that areas state senators are currently Republicans; the Democrats do pretty well up their in state house elections though... it's pretty much (but not quite) the reverse in Boise for some reason.
Unless my figures are wrong.

That's weird.

[bejkuy]

In my opinion, 2 factors doomed the democratic party in northern Idaho (they were already dead in southern ID).

The democrats' shift to more extreme environmental policy and their attack on guns rights, beginning in the 90's.

My dad was born in Lewiston.  Historically this town as well as many others in the north, was blue-collar democrat.  Look at the voting records before 2000.

My grandparents still live in the area, so I spend a fair amount of time over there.  I would compare the people in Lewiston to the people of West Virginia.  Socially conservative but economically, more along the populist lines.  This was enough to keep them in the dem camp for years.

When Clinton destroyed the forest products industry( throuh the northwest forest plan) that employed many of these blue-collar democrats, and then had the nerve to take away their "assult rifles" the deal was done.

The last minute ban on development in roadless areas withnin the National Forests hit Idaho particularily hard. 

I know that the State of Oregon lost fully one half of it's lumber mills in the 1990's.  I would imagine Idaho suffered similar losses.  It's tough to stay loyal to the party that destroyed your town.       

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The swing in much of northern Idaho between the '80's/'90's and the '00's has been huge; from over 50% for Dukakis to over 70% for Bush in some areas...

Nice to see you again, btw

[bejkuy]

The swing in much of northern Idaho between the '80's/'90's and the '00's has been huge; from over 50% for Dukakis to over 70% for Bush in some areas...

Nice to see you again, btw

Thank you Al.

I am always interested in subjects related to rural Norhwest life.

[Gustaf]

Bejkuy, haven't seen you in a LONG while. Nice to see you. You were one of those crazy Christian conservatives, if memory serves me.

[minionofmidas]

Yeah, he was...wonder what brought him back...or maybe he's been lurking all this while?