| Update 2: Craig to make an announcement tomorrow from Boise, ID. AP reported that Risch is the one. Otter's people are denying that a decision has been made.
Update: What I'm hearing is that Craig is departing today -- and that Otter is appointing former Lt. Gov. Risch. GOP is saying Risch has money in the bank. That may be true, he's also got hundreds of thousands in debts from his last state race, so there's that. I was also told that he's literally the guy who pushed through a hike in the sales tax, so that might explain his 26% approval rating in Idaho. Anyways, CNN is reporting that Craig is likely to leave soon. My source (and it's a single source right now) says Risch is the guy who'll replace him. We'll see if this stuff bears out.
Throw some change Larry LaRocco's way.
So, some folks want Sen. Larry Craig to resign in a flurry of outrage not heard from the right since Sen. Vitter 'fessed up to hiring prostitutes (wait, there wasn't similar outrage for a sex scandal involving illegal acts with women; color me confused).
And who knows -- it may actually reach that point. Obviously, I'd prefer otherwise. Larry Craig looks pretty vulnerable right now and heaven knows it'd be sweet to score a U.S. Senate seat in that reddest of all states. But the GOP leadership is pushing hard and Craig might give in.
Would that be the end of our hopes for the seat? Here's a hint: not necessarily.
Gov. Butch Otter would get to appoint Craig's replacement and the natural choices aren't so hot. Their short list comes from a surprisingly shallow bench.
- U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson -- Simpson's a natural choice but his favorability is below 50%, he hasn't had a tough race in years, and he's only got $75k in the bank. Add to that the fact that the Club for Growth is basically pledging to primary him (probably with his colleague U.S. Rep. Bill Sali, quite possibly the stupidest man in Washington, D.C., and that's saying something) and you've got a stage set for GOP trouble.
- Former Lt. Gov. Jim Risch -- Sure, it's possible, but his approval statewide is 26% and he doesn't have any dough.
- Former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne -- How does a former Governor slip to a 46% approval rating? Probably by joining Mr. 25%'s administration. So even Kempthorne is far from a sure thing if he gives up his cushy job to give it a go in a Senate race.
Any of these folks, in other words, are still solid targets for a hard run by Larry LaRocco, who is out kicking ass right now.
Honestly, Idaho's going to be exciting whether Senator Wide Stance stays or goes. |
