Craig Has Primary Challengers and Gordo Has More to Explain to Moderates

Two afternoon bites for you:

Idaho: Republican incumbent Larry Craig will have challengers. While no Democrats have announced yet, two seemingly-single-issue potential primary opponents have. GOP anti-immigration zealot and Canyon County Commissioner Robert Vasquez is in. Also, "failed gubernatorial candidate and anti-abortion activist Marvin Richardson will return to politics with a run for U.S. Senate in 2008." It is unclear if Richardson will run as a Republican, from a third party, or as an independent. Could make for a fun primary debate though, with these three characters.

Oregon: We know that Republicans from moderate, purple-to-blue states, like New Hampshire's John Sununu and Maine's Susan Collins, were instrumental in returning Trent Lott (Segregationist-MS) to the GOP Senate leadership. Well, Blue Oregon has details from New Republic on the impassioned support Gordon Smith offered to Trent Lott's effort. Again and again, Smith demonstrates how far he is to the political right of mainstream Oregon. Once a top-tier Democrat, like U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer for instance, announces a challenge to Smith, we will no doubt see the political ramifications of this reflected in poll numbers to come.