IDAHO

The Senate:...
Democratic Candidate: Larry LaRocco
Republican Candidate: Jim Risch

Senate Retirements:
Larry Craig (R) of Idaho


The House:...
Idaho's 1st congressional district: Conservative Republican Bill Sali won this open seat race with 49.9 percent of the vote in 2006, a mediocre showing at best in this heavily Republican district that gave Bush 68 percent in 2004 (CPVI=R+19). Also, as a member of the Idaho Legislature Sali caused considerable controversy by repeatedly citing a link between breast cancer and abortion without being able to provide evidence. Although Sali was elected the GOP freshman leader in the House, his term in Washington thus far has been relatively quiet. Sali defeated Iraq War veteran Matt Salisbury in the March 27 primary.^[59]. Walt Minnick, an Army Veteran Boise businessman and the Democratic Idaho U.S. Senate nominee in 1996 is the Democratic nominee. All this, combined with a more competitive political landscape in the rapidly growing Boise area (where Democrats picked up five seats in the Idaho Legislature in 2006), may make this race worth watching in 2008.