Dem House campaign closer than expected

BOISE (AP) — Democratic U.S. House candidate Jimmy Farris is the winner of the Democratic nomination in Idaho's 1st Congressional District.

The former NFL player had a tougher-than-expected primary fight with a rival whose highest-profile campaign appearance was with a state judge.

Cynthia Clinkingbeard's run for Congress was largely dismissed after her March 16 assault arrest, where she was accused of threatening a Boise office-supply store's employees with a handgun.

Unofficial results posted by the Idaho Secretary of State show winning with 53.1 percent of the vote to 46.9 percent for Clinkingbeard.

Farris declined to debate Clinkingbeard, saying he didn't feel it was appropriate given her struggle with mental illness.

Clinkingbeard called her arrest "a fly in the ointment" but refused to quit the race.

Farris faces U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador in November.