U.S. House, Idaho - 1st District
West -- Nampa, Panhandle, part of Boise
Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
2008: Rep.
2006:
Only in the kind of political environment currently hindering Republican nationwide could a conservative bastion such as the eastern Idaho district, which gave Bush 68 percent of the vote in 2004, lean Republican. But Sali’s surprisingly close 5-point win in the open 2006 contest has created an opening for Walt Minnick, the well-funded Democrat known to some residents for his unsuccessful bid for the 1996 Senate nomination. Sali further underscored his reputation as abrasive when local media reported he and a campaign worker heckled Minnick during a television interview after a candidate debate earlier this month.
Race Information
- Incumbent: Walt Minnick, D
- First Elected: 2008 (1st term)
- Last Elected: 1996 (39.9%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
From its smokestack-shaped panhandle that opens into British Columbia in the north, the 1st travels 500 miles south to the Nevada state line, bordering both Washington and Oregon to the west. Rural and rugged, the 1st features winding rivers, deep canyons and trails that trace the historic expedition of Lewis and Clark as they sought a route to the Pacific Ocean.
The area west of Boise, in Ada and Canyon counties, is the most populated region of the 1st. Boise (shared with the 2nd) has lured new technology firms, such as Hewlett-Packard, which complement the white-collar economy already established at companies such as Micron Technology, located nearby in the 2nd. Also west of Boise, agriculture, lumber, paper, construction, electronics and food processing companies employ thousands of residents.
There are manufacturing, call center and casino-based jobs in the northern part of the district near the Democratic-leaning area of Coeur d’ Alene. The land between that city and Boise is home to rural communities that promote a growing tourism industry by marketing the scenic byways that tower over sapphire lakes and thick forests. Struggling small timber mills also are spread throughout this heavily forested region.
Since 1967, Democrats have held the U.S. House seat for only four years (1991-95), making the 1st one of the strongest GOP seats in the northwest. In both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, George W. Bush swept every county in the 1st.
Major Industry
Manufacturing, agriculture, timber
Cities
Boise City (pt.), 59,680; Nampa, 51,867; Meridian, 34,919; Coeur d’Alene, 34,514
notable
Near Riggins in Idaho County, Hells Canyon separates Idaho from Oregon and is the nation’s deepest river gorge.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 648,774
- Under 18: 28.1%
- Over 65: 11.6%
- Married: 61.5%
- Non-Hispanic White: 89%
- Black: 0%
- Hispanic: 7%
- Asian: 1%
- Foreign Born: 4.3%
- Language other than English: 8.3%
- Median Household Income: 38,364
- Owner Occupied Housing: 75.7%
- Income above $200k: 1.1
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 56.1%
- Blue Collar: 28.4%
- Services: 15.5%
- Bachelor's Degree: 20%
- Graduate Education: 6.3%
- Civilian Veterans: 72,500
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Walt Minnick (D) | 175,898 | 50.6% |
| Bill Sali (R) | 171,687 | 49.4% | ||
| 2006 | general | Bill Sali (R) | 115,843 | 49.9% |
| Larry Grant (D) | 103,935 | 44.8% | ||
| Dave Olson (I) | 6,857 | 3% | ||
| Andy Hedden-Nicely (NL) | 2,882 | 1.2% | ||
| Paul Smith (CNSTP) | 2,457 | 1.1% | ||
| 2004 | general | C. Otter (R) | 207,662 | 69.6% |
| Naomi Preston (D) | 90,927 | 30.4% | ||
| 2002 | general | C. Otter (R) | 120,743 | 58.6% |
| Betty Richardson (D) | 80,269 | 38.9% | ||
| Steve Gothard (LIBERT) | 5,129 | 2.5% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 30% | George W. Bush: 68% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 28% | George W. Bush: 68% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRANT, LARRY L (D) | November 24, 2008 | $139,152.00 | $150,594.00 | $2,000.00 | $70,399.00 | ||
| SEMANKO, NORM (R) | September 30, 2008 | $440.00 | $583.00 | $440.00 | $360.00 | $37,500.00 | |
| OTTER, C.L. BUTCH (R) | March 31, 2007 | $932.00 | |||||
| SORENSEN, SHELIA (R) | September 30, 2008 | $2,000.00 | $2,059.00 | $87.00 | $238,425.00 | ||
| VASQUEZ, ROBERT (R) | June 30, 2007 | $9,400.00 | $9,506.00 | $20,900.00 | |||
| HEDDEN-NICELY, NORMAN ANDREW (UNKNOWN) | December 31, 2006 | ||||||
| JOHNSON, KEITH (R) | December 31, 2006 | $19.00 | $8,496.00 | ||||
| SALI, WILLIAM T (R) | November 24, 2008 | $1,174,807.00 | $1,144,649.00 | $133,202.00 | $478,600.00 | $40,841.00 | $124,084.00 |
| SALISBURY, MATTHEW (R) | September 30, 2008 | $71,083.00 | $71,045.00 | $68,788.00 | $37.00 | $800.00 | |
| LEWIS, RAND C (D) | August 22, 2008 | $49,242.00 | $49,241.00 | $2,034.00 | |||
| MINNICK, WALTER CLIFFORD (D) | November 24, 2008 | $2,560,724.00 | $2,544,377.00 | $60,500.00 | $1,195,236.00 | $16,346.00 | $394,673.00 |
