United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho, 2008

The 2008 congressional elections in Idaho will be held on November 4, 2008 to determine who will represent the state of Idaho in the United States House of Representatives. Idaho has two seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; whoever is elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011. The election coincides with the 2008 U.S. presidential election.

The statewide Primary elections were held May 27, 2008. [ [http://www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/eleindex.htm Elections, Campaign Disclosure and Lobbyists] "Idaho Secretary of State"]

The only race not forecasted as safe for the incumbent party is District 1.

District 1

This district includes most of the Boise metropolitan area and northern Idaho, including all of the Idaho Panhandle. Major cities in the district include Nampa, Meridian, Coeur d'Alene, Lewiston as well as precincts in western Boise. Usually a Republican stronghold, in 2006 Bill Sali ( [http://www.billsali.com/ campaign website] ) won an open seat race with only 50 percent of the vote over Larry Grant's 45 percent.

In 2008 Sali faces Walt Minnick ( [http://www.waltforcongress.org/ campaign website] ), the Democratic 1996 Senate nominee, who as of March 31 had raised 50% more money than Sali. Grant announced his intention to run for the seat again, but withdrew from the race before the primary and endorsed Minnick instead. Sali defeated Iraq war veteran Matt Salisbury with 60 percent of the vote in the May 27 Republican primary [ [http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2008/Primary/tot_stwd.htm 2008 Primary Results statewide] ] . Minnick won the Democratic nomination unopposed. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Republican Favored', the Rothenberg Report as 'Republican Favored' and the Cook Political Report as 'Lean Republican'. [ [http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2008/09/2008-house-ratings_30.html 2008 House Ratings] "Rothenberg Report", September 30, 2008] [ [http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2008-10-02_12-52-36.php 2008 Competitive House Race Chart] October 2, 2008]
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-ID-01 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=ID01&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.org
* [http://www.pollster.com/polls/id/08-id-01-ge-svm.php 2008 Idaho CD-01] graph of collected polls at "Pollster.com"

District 2

This district includes the Eastern Idaho and Magic Valley regions of Idaho, including the cities of Pocatello, Idaho Falls and Twin Falls, as well as parts of Boise on its western edge. The seat was first won by Republican incumbent Mike Simpson in 1998.

Simpson ( [http://www.simpsonforcongress.com/ campaign website] ) is running for reelection against Democratic nominee Deborah Holmes ( [http://www.debbieholmesforcongress.com/ campaign website] ), a first-time candidate for public office. Both Simpson and Holmes decisively won their respective primaries [ [http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2008/Primary/tot_stwd.htm 2008 Primary Results statewide] ] . Although parts of the district have trended Democratic in recent years, including Blaine County. Teton County and the Boise precincts located in the district, a strong Mormon voting bloc has kept the district in Republican hands. CQ Politics forecasts the race as 'Safe Republican'.
* [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-ID-02 Race ranking and details] from CQ Politics
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=ID02&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets.org

References

External links

* [http://www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/eleindex.htm Elections, Campaign Disclosure and Lobbyists] from the "Idaho Secretary of State"
* [http://www.votesmart.org/election_congress_state.php?state_id=ID&go33.x=10&go33.y=8 U.S. Congress candidates for Idaho] at Project Vote Smart
* [http://www.2008racetracker.com/page/Idaho Idaho U.S. House Races] from "2008 Race Tracker"
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/election.php?state=ID Campaign contributions for Idaho congressional races] from OpenSecrets.org

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list= United States House elections in Idaho 2008
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