Idaho governor hopeful Fulcher launches ad campaign

BOISE – With just three weeks left before Idaho’s primary election, GOP gubernatorial challenger Russ Fulcher has launched his first statewide campaign commercial and posted billboards around the state.

Incumbent Gov. Butch Otter hasn’t, but plans to hit the airwaves between now and the primary, said Jayson Ronk, Otter’s campaign manager.

Otter has been running a low-key race as he seeks a third term, leaving Fulcher, the Idaho Senate’s GOP majority caucus chairman, to face off with fringe candidates Harley Brown and Walter Bayes at candidate forums.

Otter agreed to one debate with Fulcher and the other two candidates, which will air May 14 on Idaho Public Television. The primary election is May 20.

The cowardly Otter has refused Fulcher's many requests to debate and wll only debate once - and with no audience or audience questions, at that!

This is Idaho's governor? A lily-livered moderate wimp who approves of Obamacare, approves Common Core, has raised Idaho's dependency on the FedGov to over 35% of state revenue?

Otter's website shows him in various cowboy poses complete with cowboy hat and rifle. What laughable window dressing! To the NRA's eternal shame, they have endorsed yet another sell-out who postures about guns, but would go wherever the prevailing political winds blow. They also endorsed Harry Reid.

I've met and spoken with Russ Fulcher several times now. He's the real deal - a serious, thoughtful conservative Christian and businessman (not a lawyer) who wants to return Idaho's sovereignty over her lands, dump Obamacare (aka "Ottercare"), lower taxes starting with the grocery tax, and end Common Core in Idaho.

Russ Fulcher's biggest drawback is name recognition since he is not an egotistical self-aggrandizer like most politicians. Idaho FReepers need to get on the bandwagon and get Fulcher's name into the public eye ASAP. Registered Independents in Idaho should quickly change their voeter registrations to Republican, at least for the primary on May 20. If you want to change back to Independent after the primary, by all means do so. But it looks to me like the general election will actually occur in the GOP primary as the Demonrat candidate will not win against either GOP candidate.

Fulcher is good man and he has my support.

But do not go overboard on the anti-Otter rhetoric either.

Otter does not “support” Obamacare. He is and was against it. He is trying to operate the state in accordance with a shameful and disgraceful unconstitutional law that the Supreme Court ruled was constitutional anyway.

Otter has also operated a balanced budget and lowered taxes. Those are the facts.

I know the educators and their unions are not happy with him. So?

I know they will point to all sorts of statistics. But I know better and do not count what thoes estatiticians have to say for much of anything. My wife and I put five kids through the public schools. It was a fight all the way to get our kids a good education, even here in Idaho. Particularly in history, government, and math. We took a hand (as we should, it is OUR duty and responsibility) in ensuring our kids were properly educated as to the history and principles this nation stands upon...and we had to fight liberal minded teachers to do so...and their administrators. But we did that and our kids are doing great now in life and their careers.

So, though I support Fulcher, I will also not dis Otter very badly. He certainly has not done everything the way I would, but he has done a decent job and a far better job than the majority of stte governors, for the which I am grateful.

I do believe Fulchner is more conservatve and will stick even harder to his guns, so he will have my vote in the Primary...but for those reasons...not because Otter is some kind of evil man, or a “moderate.”

Jeff - Idaho is the only state with a Republican governor that agreed to set up a state Obamacare exchange. Other states are suing the FedGov over this. Has Otter instructed our AG to do the same? Our current AG also filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court during Heller that supported the idea that Americans do NOT have a personal right to keep and bear arms, but only if they are part of a state militia. What did Otter do about that? I don't believe he had no influence on the AG. Otter's balancing of the budget has come at the cost of dependence on the FedGov. That's not a balanced budget.

I appreciate you Jeff and have read your stuff for years, but Otter is a loser IMHO. Idaho deserves a far more conservative governor, and considering the direction in which our nation seems to be going, I don't want an equivocator. I want a warrior.

As I said, I support Fulcher for the exact same reasons.

I just do not view Otter as the absolute incarnate evil some of these people are making him out to be. That’s overboard and rperesents the worst of politics. Fulcher does not need to do that to win this arguement...and in fact doing so may hurt him.

As you kow, in the State of Idaho, the AG is elected seperately. He is not beholden to the Governor. Do they talk? Absolutely. Do they try and plan appropriately where possible? Of course they do. But what the AG did does not necessarily at all pant Otter with the same brush.

As I said, I support Fulcher and will vote for him and hopes he prevails...but I will not participate in the mud slinging.

Otter has been a good governor; I think he is more a case of someone who has been in the ‘business’ too long. I think he is tired of the constant fight with Washington. I really think he started to waiver a couple years ago when he began pushing for a higher gas tax. He's not a total RINO squish type by any means.

Fulcher also is very strong on not wasting the land in Idaho the federal government claims. If the episode in Arizona and the Texas land grab are any indication, this may be very important issue.

Like many states we had Common Core snuck through in the middle of the night and despite concerns of people Otter seems to think it is great for Idaho. Many of the home educators I know are very frustrated (and I know Secretary Luna is the real push behind this) that the Governor and his administration don't seem to be listening to the concerns regarding the materials that will be on the common core tests. Instead we are told to sit down and eat our peas so we ‘don't fail’ Idaho.

Telling the truth is not mud-slinging. Otter won't stand before the people and answer questions in this campaign, knowing full well that Idahoans are up in arms about Obamacare and Common Core. Otter has not stood up to the FedGov, but has gone along to get along. My daughter has to deal with Common Core in school, and my wife and I have to engage in remedial education when she gets home. These are truths. Making certain the electorate hears them is not mud-slinging and I am not aware of any mud-slinging from the Fulcher campaign.

Fulcher has to fight hard against an entrenched and well-funded opponent and against a media that just wants him to go away. If we want a better state, we need to point out the truth. Otter IS a moderate and a GOP establishment guy who has proven my accusations by what he has done and what he has left undone. I'm surprised that you don't have a problem with him. I certainly do and I won't back down.

We disagree on the extents you are willing to go in attacking Otter. Well, you folks have to do what you are going to do..

I believe the attacks on Otter are being over played. I have lived here throughout his term, and before that through Kempthorne’s. Otter, has not been a bad governor...I would just like to see someone stronger on certain issues and willing to take the fight to the progressive liberals, both here in Idaho and elsewhere.

Having said, that, I do not view Otter as a moderate or as a Washington establishment politician.

I do support Fulcher for the reasons I stated, and will vote for him...but not because Otter is bad. We just need more if we can get it and I believe Fulcher will deliver that.

I agree a lot with what Idaho_Cowboy said.

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