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Riven by factions, Idaho GOP picks Semanko as new leader
The Idaho Statesman--Hey, At Least We Aren't Waiting on Your Table at Lunch ^ | 15 June 2008 | John Miller-AP Drive By Lieutenant

Posted on 06/16/2008 12:14:36 PM PDT by GOP_Raider

SANDPOINT, Idaho — New Idaho Republican Chairman Norm Semanko takes over a party that dominates the state but threatened to burst at the seams at this weekend's convention, with disparate factions at odds over everything from tackling marijuana legalization to whether to close the state's GOP primary to all but registered party voters.

Semanko ousted two-term incumbent Kirk Sullivan, who earlier Saturday had been endorsed by Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter. The tally was 227-169.

A separate 199-192 vote among delegates in Sandpoint that supported retaining the state's open primary is indicative just how divided this convention was. That vote is a reversal from two years ago, when delegates at the 2006 convention in Idaho Falls overwhelmingly voted to close the GOP primary election.

(Excerpt) Read more at idahostatesman.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Idaho
KEYWORDS: butchotter; gop; id2008; idaho; normsemanko
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1 posted on 06/16/2008 12:14:37 PM PDT by GOP_Raider
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To: Chief Engineer; Delphinium; EternalVigilance; Keyes2000mt; Sir_Ed; Knitting A Conundrum; ...
Norm!!
The FR Idaho Ping List
FReepmail GOP_Raider to be on or off this list

2 posted on 06/16/2008 12:18:05 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (DU: Standing athwart history yelling "$#@$# you mother$#@$#er!")
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To: GOP_Raider
They rejected my proposal to pipe tap-dance music into public restrooms. Fascists.

Idaho BTT.

3 posted on 06/16/2008 12:22:20 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: GOP_Raider

Who is Semanko? Is he conservative? From Boise???


4 posted on 06/16/2008 12:24:00 PM PDT by Theodore R. ( Cowardice is still forever!)
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To: Billthedrill; Domandred

Ha ha! And I was just about to ping you, too...oh well, I guess I’ll have to ping the way I intended to anyway :)


5 posted on 06/16/2008 12:25:02 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (DU: Standing athwart history yelling "$#@$# you mother$#@$#er!")
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To: GOP_Raider

Wow, the Idaho GOP voted to add to the state platform language supporting abolishing the Federal Reserve? Nice. More state republican parties should support that.


6 posted on 06/16/2008 12:26:35 PM PDT by Baron OBeef Dip
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To: Theodore R.

I attempted a search to find anything relevant on Norm that might be of help to non-Idaho FReepers, and sure enough, another FR thread came up!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1615894/posts

He was in the logjam GOP Primary for the 1st district house seat (the seat eventually won by Bill Sali) but it was pretty clear after a certain point that Sali was the guy.


7 posted on 06/16/2008 12:29:35 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (DU: Standing athwart history yelling "$#@$# you mother$#@$#er!")
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To: GOP_Raider

LOL. That looks like a conservative from about 1958. Best of luck with the guy, and with Idaho!!


8 posted on 06/16/2008 12:32:06 PM PDT by willgolfforfood
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To: GOP_Raider; EternalVigilance

Heh, and I was the only one replying to that thread 2 years ago. So, do you guys consider this a positive or negative ? Were you supporting Semanko ?


9 posted on 06/16/2008 12:33:35 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: Baron OBeef Dip

Yep, and that’s why it’s fun to live here in Idaho...unless you’re from California at all to which I say...um...well I hear Washington is nice this time of year. ;)


10 posted on 06/16/2008 12:34:32 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (DU: Standing athwart history yelling "$#@$# you mother$#@$#er!")
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To: fieldmarshaldj

Well, EV will probably have a much more succinct analysis, but Kirk Sullivan was a big dope and while I don’t think Semanko is anywhere near perfect, he has to be better than Sullivan was.

There’s still that problem of closing the primaries though...


11 posted on 06/16/2008 12:37:05 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (DU: Standing athwart history yelling "$#@$# you mother$#@$#er!")
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To: willgolfforfood
LOL. That looks like a conservative from about 1958.

We have lots of folks that look like conservatives ca. 1958, they just aren't in powerful positions like Norm now is. :)

12 posted on 06/16/2008 12:39:23 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (DU: Standing athwart history yelling "$#@$# you mother$#@$#er!")
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To: GOP_Raider

Yeah, that open primary is a recipe for mischief.


13 posted on 06/16/2008 12:41:04 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: GOP_Raider; willgolfforfood

He needs the horn-rimmed glasses and he'll absolutely nail the 1958 look. ;-D

14 posted on 06/16/2008 12:43:35 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

LOL, I think my grandpa still has a pair of those he uses for reading.


15 posted on 06/16/2008 12:46:03 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (DU: Standing athwart history yelling "$#@$# you mother$#@$#er!")
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To: GOP_Raider

We need State by State fights between the Conservative Republican Anti-McCain Caucus versus the Liberal Republican Pro-McCain Caucus.

Then we have to win. I don’t care if our States distance themselves from the Presidential Candidate. Conservatives have to take over their parties again!


16 posted on 06/16/2008 12:46:10 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (McCain / Kerry '08! ************* McCain's Dream Ticket, only the names have been reversed)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

I have the ones on the right as shades.

Risky Business
Jack Nicholson
Roy Orbison
Barry Goldwater

I’m all over it.


17 posted on 06/16/2008 12:48:41 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (McCain / Kerry '08! ************* McCain's Dream Ticket, only the names have been reversed)
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To: Uncle Miltie

Tom Cruise, huh ? ;-)

18 posted on 06/16/2008 12:51:41 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

Da Blues Bros.

19 posted on 06/16/2008 1:06:55 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (McCain / Kerry '08! ************* McCain's Dream Ticket, only the names have been reversed)
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To: fieldmarshaldj; GOP_Raider; Delphinium

I think this is a good thing, and that Norm Semanko is the real deal.

After his congressional primary loss to fellow conservative Bill Sali, one of the finest Christians I’ve ever met in politics, Norm’s actions were above reproach.

Can’t say the same for a couple of the other candidates in that particular race.

Congratulations to the FReepers who worked so long and hard to make this happen and get Sullivan out the door.

One FReeper in particular...


20 posted on 06/16/2008 1:14:28 PM PDT by EternalVigilance (Words mean things.)
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