Let's talk politics (while waiting for numbers)

with Mike Patrick, managing editor

TRUSTY TRUSTEES: Based on feedback from a number of staff, faculty and administrators at NIC, Dr. Robert Ketchum and, perhaps to only a slightly lesser degree, Ron Nilson started their candidacies in a deep hole. Incumbent Christie Wood and Nilson's opponent, attorney Ken Howard, are the overwhelmingly popular choices among those on NIC's payroll.

Why is that, exactly? Some say it's because employees feel threatened. Nilson and Ketchum both are ardent advocates of workforce training (non-credit classes), which might not endear them to some on the academic side. There's also a sense that they'll be penny-pinchers, being more responsive to county taxpayers than to the needs and wants of NIC employees. And others have suggested that they simply don't think Nilson and Ketchum "get" the big picture.

This paper was proud to endorse Nilson and Ketchum because we believe they "get" the big picture more than their opponents, who are both good people with a sincere desire to serve their community. If Ketchum and/or Nilson win, how do you think that will impact North Idaho College in the years ahead?

MORMON MARCH: John Miller of The Associated Press wrote an interesting story recently about the influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this election. His focus was largely on the governor's race, where incumbent Butch Otter, a Catholic who brought in LDS headliner Mitt Romney to campaign for him, is facing a stiff challenge from Democrat Keith Allred, who is Mormon.

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, the state's top elected legal official, is Mormon. So is Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna, who's challenged by career educator Stan Olson.

But there's more.

Half of our congressional delegation - Sen. Mike Crapo and Rep. Mike Simpson - is Mormon. If Raul Labrador unseats Rep. Walt Minnick tonight, Sen. Jim Risch will be the only non-LDS member of the Idaho delegation in January.

According to Miller's story, about 30 percent of the state's population is LDS. Its leadership could easily amount to a much higher percentage than that. Does that matter to you?

TERRIFIC TURNOUT: Voters have been reporting today that turnout is strong throughout the region. That's one good thing about a lot of people being whizzed off. When they get mad enough, apparently, they turn off the TV and go out and vote.

A Post Falls resident told us this evening he never knew until this election that coroner is an elected position. When people are up in arms over posts like coroner, clerk and community college trustee, you just know the people are going to have their say. Anybody brazen enough to offer a prediction or two? Any upsets on your radar?