In a bold move Tuesday, Jim Hansen, executive director of the Democratic Party of Idaho, told IdahoReporter.com that Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick, facing a challenge from Republican Raul Labrador, a state lawmaker from Eagle, will win in November thanks to the work Minnick has done to build coalitions of support from various interests in the state.  Jonathan Parker, director of the Idaho Republican Party, says Hansen's prediction is flat wrong and that Idaho voters will connect Minnick with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and give the win to Labrador this fall.

Hansen, during a phone call to IdahoReporter.com, said that Minnick won't fall victim to the anti-incumbent sentiment that many believe to be in the air.  "Walt Minnick is going to be re-elected," predicted Hansen.  "He's super.  He's new, he's independent, he thinks for himself, and he's done a good job connecting with people where they are. I don't think the anti-incumbent sentiment reflects on him."

Parker, when asked about Hansen's forecast for the fall, said Labrador will overtake Minnick thanks to failed Democratic leadership in Washington, D.C.  "I am predicting a Labrador win," said Parker "As Walt Minnick is of the party of Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and President Barack Obama, and could be the deciding to vote to keep Pelosi in power in the House, voters will remove Minnick to bring some balance and some sanity back to the disaster that is Washington, D.C."  The Idaho GOP and the Labrador campaign have worked hard to continuously tie Minnick to Pelosi and have even produced t-shirts attacking Pelosi.

Minnick's spokesman, John Foster, told the Boise Weekly earlier this year that the freshman Democrat "hasn’t yet made any commitment in who he would or would not support for speaker next year.”