Filing deadline shows number of contested primary races

The May 27 primary election in Idaho and Elmore County will see a number of contested races, most on the Republican ballot, including challenges to local incumbent commissioners Arlie Shaw and Larry Rose, and state senator Tim Corder.

As of Friday's filing deadline, the county Democratic party was able to put up candidates in every local race except for the District 2 county commissioner's post, and has two candidates running for the District 1 position.

On the Republican side of the primary ballot Clayton E. Cramer filed to challenge incumbent state senator Tim Corder. The Democrats will put up G. Rystyn Casiano against the winner of that race this fall.

Dave Pursell will challenge incumbent District 1 Commissioner Arlie Shaw in the May 27 primary on the Republican ballot, while the Democrats will see Candy Farley and Janet Langfitt face off against each other for the right to meet the winner of that race in the fall.

In the District 2 commissioner's race Doug King will run against incumbent Larry Rose on the Republican ballot, with no Democrat filing for that race.

Sheriff Rick Layher had Lynn Poole file against him on the Republican ballot, but courthouse officials said Poole had indicated he would withdraw from the race Tuesday because he and his wife would be moving to Texas.

Layher will face former deputy Robbin Ellis, who filed as a Democrat, in the fall.

The only local race in which the Republican party did not put up a candidate was for prosecuting attorney. The incumbent, Kristina Schindele, is a Democrat.

For the two District 22 House seats representing Elmore and Boise counties, incumbents Rich Wills and Pete Nielsen were unchallenged in the primary, but will face Democrats Donald Jandera and Rosemary Ardinger, respectively, in the fall.

At the state level, it's much more crowded, with ten total candidates on the ballot, two Democrats and eight Republicans, seeking the right to replace Sen. Larry Craig.

The Democrats will decide between Larry LaRocco and David Archuleta. The Republicans will battle it out between incumbent lieutenant governor Jim Risch, and Fred Adams, Brian Hefner, Bill Hunter, Richard Phenneger, Hal Styles, Jr., Scott Syme and Neal Thompson.

Rex Remmell, the eastern Idaho elk rancher, who appeared at all the Lincoln Day banquets as a Republican candidate for the post, has decided to run as an independent (and thus will not appear on the primary ballot). That makes a total of 11 candidates seeking Craig's seat.

For Second District Congressman, incumbent Mike Simpson is being challenged on the Republican ballot by Gregory Nemitz and Jack Chappell. The Democrats have Deborah Holmes and David Sneddon seeking the nomination for the right to challenge for that position in the fall.

Voters also will have the presidential nominating races on the ballot, as well. The Democrats selected their candidates to the national convention during February caucuses, so the primary ballot is more a show event for them than anything else. Besides Barack Obama (who won the caucuses overwhelmingly), Hillary Clinton and Keith Russell Judd will appear on the Democratic primary ballot for president.

For the Republican, however, the vote actually will select delegates to the national nominating convention. Appearing on the ballot will be John McCain, who has the nomination sewn up, and conservative Ron Paul.

There are a number of lesser races on the ballots. No Democrats filed for any of the 18 precinct committeemen posts, and no Republicans filed for the posts in Atlanta, Glenns Ferry, Hammett, King Hill, Mountain Home 1 and the Pine and Prairie precincts.

But there were three GOP precinct committeemen posts that are seeing challenges. John Barrutia and Roger Hesler are competing for the post in the Mountain Home 2 precinct, Fred Horn and Jack Streeter are facing off against each other in the Mountain Home 3 precinct, and Bob McEntee and Hank Redford are competing for the Mountain Home 7 precinct committeeman post.

In addition, the ballot will have three non-partisan judicial positions up for election.

John Bradbury is challenging incumbent Joe Horton for state supreme court justice, and Judge Sergio Gutierrez is unchallenged to be re-elected to the court of appeals.

The non-partisan positions will appear on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. Voters will select one of the ballots before entering the voting booths on May 27.