KTRV Fox 12 Rex Rammell Enters Race For Senate
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Boise, Idaho -- The race for Idaho's next senator is officially under way and the number of men vying for Sen. Larry Craig's current seat is increasing.
Another officially threw his hat in the ring Wednesday, only the second to do so as an Independent candidate.
"My name is Rex Rammell, I am a candidate for the U.S. Senate," Rammell announced at a press conference outside the Borah Building.
Rammell says he feels compelled to run for the office, which will soon be vacated by Craig, although he won't be entering the race as a Republican.
"It has become apparent to me, that too many people in the Idaho Republican Party no longer embrace the conservative principles of lower taxes, limited government and private property rights that I hold dear," said Rammell.
As an Independent, he believes he'll have a much better chance at beating Republican, and current Lt. Gov., Jim Risch.
The two men who have a past, which involves Rammell's elk being killed off in 2006 by Idaho Fish and Game -- a directive issued by Risch himself, as then Idaho Governor.
At the time, he felt that Rammell's domesticated herd could adversely affect the wild population.
"Everybody knows that Jim Risch was the governor that destroyed my elk that got out. No I don't like him. I didn't like him before that," Rammell said.
Despite that, he says this race is not about spite. The 48 year old, simply believes his 64-year-old opponent is too old to run, saying Risch only wants to serve one term, then return to Idaho and run for governor.
"It's obvious that he is very bitter," replied Risch.
Risch stopped short of calling Rammell a spoiler, saying he doesn't believe he could possibly spoil the election anyway, no matter what Rammell's reason is for running.
"People who run as an Independent generally get around 3 percent of the vote, maybe a little less," Risch explained.
Risch outwardly denies any other motives for wanting to be Idaho's senator, and says he would be willing to run for more than one term, but at this point his attention is squarely on achieving a first term, in which Risch believes his true competition is not an Independent.
"Everyone knows that either the Republican or the Democrat is going to get elected. It could be one, it could be the other. That's what people will pay attention to and that's what they'll weigh," said Risch.
Of course there are a number of other candidates running for senate, so far two are Independents and five Republicans.
The Independents include Pro-Life -- formerly known as Mel Richardson -- and Rammell.
From the Republican camp are Fred Adams of Idaho Falls, Richard Ohenneger of Coeur d'Alene, and Hal James Styles, who's address is listed in California. Then there is Scott Syme from Wilder and Neal Thompson from McCall.
Incidentally, you may have noticed that Risch is not officially on that list, at least not yet, but neither is his expected Democratic rival Larry LaRocco.
Despite that fact, Democrats say they're looking forward to Rammell entering the race.
Even though Rammell says he's not doing this to be a spoiler for the Republican Party, officials at Idaho's Democratic headquarters say he will be a spoiler none-the-less.
And considering the state's Republican-leaning voting record, they're considering this a definite advantage.
'It's sort of like a chess game. You sit there and wonder if this person moves here and does this, where does that leave us? And I think Rex Rammell has given us an additional opening and another chance at success in the fall," said Chuck Oxley, Idaho Democratic Party spokesman.
LaRocco last ran for public office in 2006.
Incidentally, it was also the last time he met up with Risch. At the time the two men were running against each other for the office of lieutenant governor.
