Submitted by Dan Popkey on Fri, 07/23/2010 - 11:34am, updated on Fri, 07/23/2010 - 12:28pm
The tit-for-tat over Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick's vote for the new finance reform appears to be coming to a close -- at least for the weekend.
The final word looks to be a press release from GOP challenger Raul Labrador with a headline reading, "We can trade petty salvos, or we can engage in adult discussion."
Labrador's statement includes this sharp line: "We could respond in kind to Mr. Minnick’s misinformed attacks by talking about his history of tax delinquency or his business bankruptcy, but I don’t think Idahoans want that kind of campaign. I sure don’t."
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Fri, 07/23/2010 - 7:36am, updated on Fri, 07/23/2010 - 7:46am
Idaho reduced state jobs by 6.9 percent between June 2009 and June 2010, leading the nation in state government employment cuts, says the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
Relying on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released this week, the Rockefeller Institute says 28 states cut state employment, while 18 added state jobs. Idaho was easily the biggest job trimmer, trailed by Hawaii, which cut 4.5 percent of state jobs; Connecticut and Wisconsin, down 4.2 percent; Arizona, down 3.8 percent; Vermont, down 3 percent; and California, down 2.7 percent.
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Fri, 07/23/2010 - 7:09am, updated on Fri, 07/23/2010 - 11:11am
Thursday afternoon at 5:30, 1st District Republican congressional nominee Raul Labrador issued a three-page news release blasting Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick's June 30 vote for the financial reform law signed by the president Wednesday.
Three hours later, Minnick campaign manager John Foster responded in kind, in an e-mail to reporters with the subject line "Correcting Raul's financial illiteracy, plagiarism." Labrador's release was posted here at Idaho Politics in full at 6 p.m. Thursday.
For this morning's reading pleasure, here is Foster's reply, also in full:
Good evening -
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 6:03pm, updated on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 6:31pm
GOP congressional candidate Raul Labrador on Thursday issued a news release criticizing incumbent Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick's June 30 vote for the financial reform bill signed by President Obama on Wednesday.
“This is a massive new intrusion of the federal government into the private sector,” Labrador said. “It will increase the uncertainty of our financial institutions as they wait to see how this 2400-page piece of legislation unfolds. Frankly, that is the last thing we need.”
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 5:06pm, updated on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 5:55pm
Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko says he spoke with House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio on Thursday, who offered his support of state Rep. Raul Labrador for Congress.
"He made clear that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is fully on board with Representative Labrador and that he is personally committed to winning this race," Semanko wrote in an e-mail to Idaho Republicans. "We very much appreciate Leader Boehner's strong support for our efforts."
Semanko's e-mail follows:
Dear Fellow Idaho Republicans,
I hope your summer is going well.
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 4:09pm, updated on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 5:49pm
House Minority Leader John Rusche has written Idaho Gov. Butch Otter asking him to consider adding other experts to the process of making a revised 2011 budget projection in August.
Otter's budget director, Wayne Hammon, replied in an e-mail to Rusche on Thursday, saying the governor has been working on just such an idea, but that it can't be implemented until December.
Otter's economist, Mike Ferguson, is responsible for producing a forecast by the end of August. Hammon has said the number will be a critical component the Legislature's budget work when lawmakers return in January.
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 1:57pm, updated on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 1:59pm
Republican congressional nominee Raul Labrador says he took a pass on joining the National Republican campaign committee's program for promising young candidates, "Young Guns."
Labrador was absent from Wednesday's list of 33 new 'Young Guns' released by the NRCC.
His campaign coordinator, China Gum, had this reply Thursday:
"People will recognize who truly has the qualifications, background, values and ideals that resonate with the voters of the 1st District. And that's Raul Labrador.
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 10:45am
About 40 young Latinos will canvas Canyon County on Saturday, urging other Latinos to register and vote in November.
“I am participating in these efforts because I don’t like what is happening in Arizona and in the country,” said Michaelangelo Olvera, a Caldwell youth participant and first-time voter to be, in a news release from Idaho Community Action Network.
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 9:28am, updated on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 4:59pm
Republican Gov. Butch Otter’s lead over Democrat Keith Allred has narrowed from 32 points in March to 17 points this week, says Rasmussen Reports. Rasmussen says Otter leads Allred 53 percent to 36 percent.
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 1:53pm, updated on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 2:01pm
Idaho 1st District House candidate Raul Labrador was not on a list of 33 Republicans named as promising prospects by the National Republican Congressional Committee on Wednesday.
The NRCC added the candidates to its “On the Radar” and “Contender” lists, levels one and two in
the committee’s “Young Guns” program. Young Guns will get special attention from the national party, a status which was achieved by former candidate Vaughn Ward.
|
