Republican candidate for Idaho governor, Rex Rammell, released survey results on his Facebook page reporting that Gov. Butch Otter holds a lead among Republican voters, but that respondents want him to debate his primary opponents.

The survey asked voters who they’d choose in a head-to-head matchup between Otter and Rammell.  Otter received 48 percent support, Rammell 24 percent, with the remaining 28 percent split between other candidates or undecided.  According to the survey, 73 percent of GOP voters polled want Otter to debate, while 27 percent responded no.

“The analysis of the numbers reveals overwhelming support that Butch Otter should debate his opponents,” Rammell said on his Facebook page.  Otter declined to participate in Idaho Public Television's debate, saying that all the GOP candidates on the primary election ballot should be allowed to debate.  Rammell and Ada County Commissioner Sharon Ullman will debate on May 18.  Pete Peterson of Boise, Walt Bayes of Wilder, and Tamara Wells of Post Falls are also on the Republican ballot.

The survey of 400 likely Republican voters by Greg Smith & Associates of Eagle is one of the first released for statewide elections this year.  A Rasmussen poll at the end of March showed Otter held a 32 percent point lead over Democrat Keith Allred.

Read all of Rammell’s comments on the poll at his Facebook page.