Like Chenoweth-Hage, Mansfield is a dynamic campaigner, who acknowledged the district's growing Hispanic population in his campaign kickoff by introducing a longtime friend who taught him to speak Spanish. The Republican winner would clearly be favored in the general. Linda Pall , a lawyer and city councilwoman in Moscow, Idaho, in October became the first and only Democrat to enter the race, but she is not expected to poll strongly. Pall said she wants to improve Idaho's extremist image. Likely Republican Idaho's 2nd district takes in everything east of downtown Boise, including Idaho Falls and Ketchum.
Republicans continue to hold a tight grip on all four seats in the Idaho delegation.
When Crapo decided to try for the Senate, a crowded field of Republicans emerged. The winners of the respective primaries were state House speaker Mike Simpson and ex-Rep. Stallings had held the 2nd district from 1985 to 1993, when he stepped down to wage an unsuccessful bid for the Senate. And Democrats became more hopeful after polling through the cycle showed Stallings edging out Simpson in the general. But Simpson pulled off a 7-point win over the former Congressman, winning 53 to 45 percent.