It could also be said, the current (state and national) Republican party is making it difficult for some of their own candidates to win in traditionally conservative places-
seen with incumbents not as easily winning and some results moving left:
-See Iowa’s J.D. Scholten.
-See 2018 Arizona Senate race to replace Jeff Flakes. A Dem (openly gay/bi) woman wins a long-time R seat.

As long as moderate and traditional Republicans allow the party to be hi-jacked by the likes of IFF and the Tea Party, they will see the trend continue with younger voters to shift more left- rejecting the far-right message in the future.

On the other side, the Idaho Democratic messages of a quality environment, higher wages, strong and equal public education, alternative energy, equal pay, fair taxation, local-option taxation, fair access to quality health care, public lands, plentiful migrant farm workers, breaking up corporate agriculture monopolies, and open world-markets (no trade wars), SHOULD all be things that resonate well with rural Idaho.
However, guns and the bible are tough to overcome. :-/

So, the US rural/agricultural market is on the decline again. And when things aren’t going well, it’s easy to blame someone else.
Let’s remember the FarmAid concerts started in 1985. About that time, after many years of Idaho Democrats Andrus and Evans, the state moved to the Red side.
After enough tough years under the recent regime, I imagine rural Idaho will move left, politically and geographically to the big city.
See the above reference to IOWA.

Imagine an Idaho farmer voting for their own economic interest, instead the interests of Simplot, LambWeston, & Melaleuca.

As for Boise, 2015 had Judy Peavey-Derr run/lose against Bieter.
Now Arnold jumps in. I can’t tell the difference between JPD and Arnold. They even have the same hair style. “Repeat and try again.” We have enough ACHD experience from Arnold to see how ‘that’ City meeting would go.

And the best the Idaho conservative pool can do, is recycle Coles and Arnold??????? Is there any leadership even trying? Albeit mayor is supposed to be nonpartisan. ha!

That’s a shame, isn’t it? The reality is, lots of voters don’t take the time and make the effort to get informed, and instead just vote the party line. If the candidate goes to the same church, all the better!

Equally shameful would be voting AGAINST somebody simply because of the letter by his/her name, or where he/she goes to church.

IMO, the Democrat Party (nationwide) makes winning difficult for their candidates in a conservative place like Idaho. (Except for Boise and Blaine County, perhaps.)

McGee announces for city council.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/canyon-county/article234898517.html

Seriously, did McGee hear Coles was running and then say, “me too” (compared to his previous #metoo moments) ?

Just get the correct letter behind your name and “you’re in the game”.
Heck, Butch Otter’s DUI and lying about it didn’t stop him.
Plagiarize some political website content, or get an unrelated online degree- no problem, you can direct the Dept of Education.
Make shady illegal deals; whatever, you too can be ‘public servant’.

Be a real weirdo and you get to be in charge of the ‘whole party’– either one.
Hookers, lying, stealing, cheating, — it’s just living the life of a politician.

The ‘majority of Idaho voters’ don’t care about character. It only matters, 1) what letter is by your name and 2) where you go to church.

Just like Trump said,”I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose [my dumb]voters.”

On to NOVEMBER!

Hubris syndrome.