Palin's choice defeated in Idaho GOP battle
In upset, Labrador wins Republican nomination for U.S. House seat
BOISE, Idaho - Idaho state Rep. Raul Labrador won the Republican nomination Tuesday in the state's nationally targeted 1st Congressional District, pulling an upset over rival Vaughn Ward.
Labrador won the race despite a significant fundraising disadvantage and a campaign endorsement for Ward by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Labrador's victory sets up a battle with first-term Democrat Walt Minnick in November.
"I am committed to having a vigorous debate and running an honorable campaign focused on what is best for America and what is best for Idaho," he said.
Labrador entered the race late, launching his bid just six months ago. In a short span, the nomination contest became an unusually tangled battle that divided local and national tea party activists and raised questions of plagiarism on the campaign trail.
stuff left out
Stumbles
The race also was marked by a series of campaign stumbles by Ward, a decorated Iraq veteran.
He was accused of using position statements on his website that were identical to those posted on websites of Republican candidates in other states. Ward pulled the statements, but the flub led to the resignation of his campaign manager less than two weeks before the election.
He came under fire again last weekend for allegedly using statements in his campaign kickoff announcement in January that were similar to passages in the keynote address Barack Obama gave at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
"He was the front-runner, here we are, his empire starts crumbling. It's kind of embarrassing," said state Sen. Monte Pearce, a New Plymouth Republican and one of his chamber's most conservative members.
Palin's choice defeated in Idaho GOP battle - Decision 2010- msnbc.com
seems a palin endorsement is not all that and more...seems the eggs that were being counted are breaking fast.
In upset, Labrador wins Republican nomination for U.S. House seat
BOISE, Idaho - Idaho state Rep. Raul Labrador won the Republican nomination Tuesday in the state's nationally targeted 1st Congressional District, pulling an upset over rival Vaughn Ward.
Labrador won the race despite a significant fundraising disadvantage and a campaign endorsement for Ward by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Labrador's victory sets up a battle with first-term Democrat Walt Minnick in November.
"I am committed to having a vigorous debate and running an honorable campaign focused on what is best for America and what is best for Idaho," he said.
Labrador entered the race late, launching his bid just six months ago. In a short span, the nomination contest became an unusually tangled battle that divided local and national tea party activists and raised questions of plagiarism on the campaign trail.
stuff left out
Stumbles
The race also was marked by a series of campaign stumbles by Ward, a decorated Iraq veteran.
He was accused of using position statements on his website that were identical to those posted on websites of Republican candidates in other states. Ward pulled the statements, but the flub led to the resignation of his campaign manager less than two weeks before the election.
He came under fire again last weekend for allegedly using statements in his campaign kickoff announcement in January that were similar to passages in the keynote address Barack Obama gave at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
"He was the front-runner, here we are, his empire starts crumbling. It's kind of embarrassing," said state Sen. Monte Pearce, a New Plymouth Republican and one of his chamber's most conservative members.
Palin's choice defeated in Idaho GOP battle - Decision 2010- msnbc.com
seems a palin endorsement is not all that and more...seems the eggs that were being counted are breaking fast.
