If Idaho Republicans want a real say in their party?s turbulent presidential selection process, they just might get their wish.
The Idaho GOP?s presidential straw poll will be held Friday, three days after Iowa managed to settle next to nothing with its caucuses.
First, the quick recap.
Iowa Republicans ?chose? former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney Tuesday night ? albeit with a palpable lack of enthusiasm. Romney?s 30,015 votes barely exceeded the 30,007 votes collected by former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who came from out of nowhere to win the ?Anybody But Romney? derby. Texas Rep. Ron Paul finished third with 26,219 votes.
As usual ? or perhaps more so than usual ? Iowa served only to winnow out the field. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann is officially out of the running, Newt Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry are reeling. But with no candidate managing even a quarter of the vote Tuesday night, Iowa Republicans outsourced the decision-making to Idaho and every other state to follow.
That?s where the Idaho GOP and its non-binding straw poll enters the picture. Sure, it?s gimmicky; with voters paying $30 for the privilege of casting a ballot, this isn?t exactly representative politics.
But the straw poll could give us a sense of which faction of the Idaho GOP is more motivated: the Romney wing, or the Paul wing.
Romney has long since secured backing from many of Idaho?s big-name Republicans, including Gov. Butch Otter, Sen. Jim Risch and Rep. Mike Simpson. Factor in Romney?s 2008 run, and the support base built along the way, and Romney?s Utah/Mormon Church connections, and you have an establishment candidate.
Paul has secured endorsements from a few of the Legislature?s conservative hardliners, including Sen. Shirley McKague, R-Meridian; Rep. Pete Nielsen, R-Mountain Home; Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, a darling of the fed-bashing nullification movement; and Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, the House?s resident tax scofflaw.
On Wednesday, Paul backer Ryan Davidson ? himself a well-traveled political player, a former state Libertarian Party Chairman who orchestrated three successful drug legalization initiatives in Hailey ? touted Tuesday?s results. ?We believe the same momentum in Iowa will carry over into Idaho, and will help Ron Paul win the straw poll, and eventually the Idaho caucus.?
On Friday, we?ll see who puts their money where their mouth is.
The straw poll is a precursor to the Idaho GOP?s first-ever presidential caucuses on March 6, Super Tuesday, as Republicans abandon their traditional and all-but-irrelevant May presidential primary.
The GOP is hoping its Ada and Canyon county caucuses bring out some 15,000 faithful. Republicans also hope the Super Tuesday caucus will prompt some candidates to do a stopover in Idaho. Will Romney make another visit to Idaho to raise money and shore up support ? especially if he remains in a tight national race? Will Paul make an appearance in Idaho? Any other candidate?
Lest it all sound far-fetched, consider this. Four years ago, no one would have imagined that then-Sen. Barack Obama would speak at Taco Bell Arena, much less attract 14,000 listeners, on the Saturday morning preceding Super Tuesday. This Republican race has its own unpredictable feel.
?LATE TO THE GAME?
Idaho Democrats say they are on Otter?s side in creating a state health insurance exchange ? but that doesn?t mean the Democrats aren?t above trying to score a few points on the issue.
An Otter guest opinion on health care, published in Sunday?s Statesman, indulges in ?inventive recollections? and suggests Otter was planning to address the issue before Congress passed Obama?s health care legislation.
?It is great to hear the governor finally express concern about affordable health care but he is showing up late to the game,? Democratic Party executive director Shelley Landry said in a news release Tuesday.
Snark alert: The Democrats? release refers to the governor as ?Clement Leroy Otter,? not his preferred ?C.L.? or ?Butch.?
Intraparty sniping aside, Otter is probably going to need votes from the Democratic minority if he wants to get a health insurance exchange through the Legislature. Some Republicans are rallying against the exchange ? designed to help small businesses and individuals shop for insurance ? because the exchange would be funded through grants from the feds? health care law.
? 2012 Idaho Statesman
Kevin Richert: 377-6437
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