{"id":12209,"date":"2012-10-23T07:48:07","date_gmt":"2012-10-23T13:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/?p=12209"},"modified":"2013-07-19T16:39:21","modified_gmt":"2013-07-19T22:39:21","slug":"idaho-democrat-nicole-lefavour-works-toward-a-congressional-upset","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/2012\/10\/23\/idaho-democrat-nicole-lefavour-works-toward-a-congressional-upset\/","title":{"rendered":"Idaho Democrat Nicole LeFavour Works Toward A Congressional Upset"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_12213\"  class=\"wp-caption module image left\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"State Sen. Nicole LeFavour talks with volunteers at Polo's Restaurant in Burley, Idaho.  \" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/LeFavour_Volunteers.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-12213\" title=\"LeFavour_Volunteers\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/LeFavour_Volunteers-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/LeFavour_Volunteers-300x223.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/LeFavour_Volunteers-620x462.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Emilie Ritter Saunders \/ StateImpact Idaho<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">State Sen. Nicole LeFavour talks with volunteers at Polo&#39;s Restaurant in Burley, Idaho.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Burley, Idaho is farm country.\u00a0 About 10,000 people live in the eastern Idaho town, that for many is just a stop off I-84 to gas up.<\/p>\n<p>This is Republican Congressman <a title=\"What You Should Know About Rep. Mike Simpson\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/topic\/mike-simpson\/\" target=\"_blank\">Mike Simpson\u2019s<\/a> home turf.\u00a0 He was born in here. But now, Boise Democrat <a title=\"What You Should Know About State Sen. Nicole LeFavour\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/topic\/nicole-lefavour\/\" target=\"_blank\">Nicole LeFavour<\/a> is making one of the most serious runs at his seat in recent history.<\/p>\n<p>On a late October evening, state Senator LeFavour gathered a group of volunteers to canvass the neighborhoods near downtown Burley.<\/p>\n<p>Idaho&#8217;s 2nd Congressional District covers about 40,000 square miles of southern and eastern Idaho.\u00a0 It includes all of Boise, and everything along I-84 to the Montana border.\u00a0 For almost 15 years, Republican Mike Simpson has represented the district.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F101779593&amp;color=17807e&amp;auto_play=false&amp;show_artwork=false\" height=\"166\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>LeFavour&#8217;s field campaign manager Tom Hamilton shows a handful of volunteers how to work an iPhone app that identifies which doors to knock on.<!--more--><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12216\"  class=\"wp-caption module image left\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"LeFavour's field campaign manager Tom Hamilton (right) shows volunteers Nancy Crump and Ilene Serr how to use their iPhone app.\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/Volunteers-Nancy-Crump-Ilene-Serr-Tom-Hamilton.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-12216\" title=\"LeFavour Volunteers Nancy Crump Ilene Serr Tom Hamilton\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/Volunteers-Nancy-Crump-Ilene-Serr-Tom-Hamilton-300x260.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/Volunteers-Nancy-Crump-Ilene-Serr-Tom-Hamilton-300x260.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/Volunteers-Nancy-Crump-Ilene-Serr-Tom-Hamilton-620x537.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Emilie Ritter Saunders \/ StateImpact Idaho<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">LeFavour&#39;s field campaign manager Tom Hamilton (right) shows volunteers Nancy Crump and Ilene Serr how to use their iPhone app.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cSo you\u2019ll go to the first street based on your map,&#8221; Hamilton explains. \u201cThese are registered voters, that\u2019s why they\u2019re on our list, and they\u2019re also Independents.\u201d\u00a0<em><em> <\/em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>LeFavour and her volunteers have knocked on almost 9,000 doors since she announced her run for Congress earlier this spring.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe day I announced, are you kidding, I was like &#8216;this is a little crazy&#8217;, but I\u2019m a hard worker,&#8221; LeFavour says.\u00a0 &#8220;There\u2019s some potential out there and take a look at the numbers and see if it\u2019s doable.\u201d\u00a0<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Sen. LeFavour, clearly the underdog, says she wasn\u2019t about to launch a campaign against seven-time incumbent Mike Simpson, if a win wasn\u2019t feasible.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;And what\u2019s amazed me is we\u2019ve been able to hit or exceed all of the goals we\u2019ve set,\u201d adds LeFavour.\u00a0<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Her campaign hasn\u2019t <a title=\"Making The Money Count In Idaho\u2019s Congressional Races\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/2012\/10\/18\/making-the-money-count-in-idahos-congressional-races\/\" target=\"_blank\">raised nearly as much money<\/a> as Congressman Simpson\u2019s, but in terms of the cash left on hand, they\u2019re closer.\u00a0 \u00a0Less than $100,000 apart.<\/p>\n<p>Andrus Center for Public Policy Director David Adler says while LeFavour is well known in the Boise area for her work in the Idaho Legislature, her biggest challenge is trying to convince voters that a very popular Congressman isn\u2019t the best choice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStrategically, every challenger would ask of an incumbent why they think they deserve to be returned when in fact some of these deep challenges have persisted over the last decade,\u201d says Adler. \u00a0<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Still, Adler says people <em>like<\/em> Simpson, and he\u2019s perceived as a moderate Republican\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMike Simpson is viewed as a very amiable fellow, down to earth, unpretentious person by both Democrats and Republicans,&#8221; says Adler.\u00a0 &#8220;The fact that he\u2019s worked across the aisle shows he\u2019s not hardened in positions, his feet are not set in concrete.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Simpson has broken with his party on occasion.\u00a0 He voted for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.federalreserve.gov\/bankinforeg\/tarpinfo.htm\" target=\"_blank\">TARP<\/a>, the federal government\u2019s bank bailout.\u00a0 He\u2019s been <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/the-fix\/wp\/2012\/10\/04\/simpson-bowles-and-dodd-frank-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\">supportive of plans<\/a> to hike taxes <em>and <\/em>cut federal spending to draw down the deficit.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6311\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 278px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"Rep. Mike Simpson was first elected to the U.S. Congress in 1998.\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2011\/10\/MikeSimpson_IdahoStatesman.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6311\" title=\"MikeSimpson_IdahoStatesman\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2011\/10\/MikeSimpson_IdahoStatesman-278x300.jpg\" width=\"278\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2011\/10\/MikeSimpson_IdahoStatesman-278x300.jpg 278w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2011\/10\/MikeSimpson_IdahoStatesman.jpg 584w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 278px) 100vw, 278px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Idaho Statesman<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rep. Mike Simpson was first elected to the U.S. Congress in 1998.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Still, Simpson stuck to party lines when he voted against President Obama\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.recovery.gov\/About\/Pages\/The_Act.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">stimulus bill<\/a> and the health care reform law.<\/p>\n<p>He voted against the <a href=\"http:\/\/topics.nytimes.com\/top\/reference\/timestopics\/people\/l\/lilly_m_ledbetter\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act<\/a>, a law that aims to give women pay equity.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s also supported Congressman and Republican vice presidential candidate <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2012\/08\/12\/us\/politics\/ryan-and-his-budget-are-a-gamble-for-romney.html?pagewanted=all&amp;_r=0\" target=\"_blank\">Paul Ryan\u2019s budget<\/a>, which would cut some social and regulatory programs in the name of deficit reduction.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe government, you\u2019ve got to remember, doesn\u2019t create jobs.\u00a0 The private sector creates jobs,\u201d says Rep. Simpson.<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Congressman Simpson says that\u2019s why he voted against the stimulus plan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe just have a different idea of the direction you go to create jobs than what the administration believes is right,&#8221; he says.\u00a0 &#8220;If they had been right, would we have had 41 months of unemployment over eight percent, sometimes nine percent?\u00a0 I don\u2019t think so.\u201d<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This is a fundamental difference between the candidates.<\/p>\n<p>Nicole LeFavour believes government jobs play an important role in the economy.\u00a0 Public sector job cuts, she says, haven\u2019t improved the overall situation.\u00a0 She says Idaho\u2019s economy needs public school teachers, and adequately staffed agencies that help get business and industry projects off the ground quickly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt really isn\u2019t rocket science to fix some of this stuff, but it is an obstructionist attitude that has kept it this way,&#8221; says LeFavour.\u00a0 &#8220;I can\u2019t imagine the new Congress can keep that up.\u201d\u00a0<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><\/em>LeFavour wants to focus on fixing the deficit, and putting people back to work.\u00a0 She also wants to continue her fight on human rights issues and equal pay for women.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12215\"  class=\"wp-caption module image center\" style=\"max-width: 620px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"Burley resident Soledad Calderra asked Nicole LeFavour about education issues.  Calderra says she'll vote for LeFavour. \" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/Soledad-Calderra-_-LeFavour.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-12215\" title=\"Soledad Calderra _ LeFavour\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/Soledad-Calderra-_-LeFavour-620x465.jpg\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/Soledad-Calderra-_-LeFavour-620x465.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/Soledad-Calderra-_-LeFavour-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Emilie Ritter Saunders \/ StateImpact Idaho<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Burley resident Soledad Calderra asked Nicole LeFavour about education issues. Calderra says she&#39;ll vote for LeFavour.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>As LeFavour and one of her volunteers went door-to-door in Burley, most people who answered didn\u2019t recognize her.\u00a0 But just about all of them had specific issues on their minds.\u00a0 For Soledad Calderra it was education.<\/p>\n<p>When Sen. LeFavour asked Calderra for her vote, this was her response; &#8220;Well yeah, because I like the fact that you\u2019re here actually, talking to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Andrus Center\u2019s David Adler admits Mike Simpson probably doesn\u2019t <em>need <\/em>to knock on doors anymore, and Simpson says he hasn\u2019t this year.<\/p>\n<p>But, Adler says in many parts of the state, going door to door is still the most effective way to get votes.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12214\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"Nicole LeFavour (left) and volunteer Western Burke go door-to-door in Burley, Idaho.\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/LeFavour_WestonBurke_FBarnhill.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-12214\" title=\"LeFavour_WestonBurke_FBarnhill\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/LeFavour_WestonBurke_FBarnhill-300x160.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/LeFavour_WestonBurke_FBarnhill-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/files\/2012\/10\/LeFavour_WestonBurke_FBarnhill-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Frankie Barnhill \/ Boise State Public Radio<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nicole LeFavour (left) and volunteer Western Burke go door-to-door in Burley, Idaho.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s still a tall hill to climb in state like this that is so Republican,&#8221; says Adler, &#8220;but it\u2019s also the case that this is how political change is made.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The Idaho Historical Society says just four Democrats have been elected to Congress from the 2nd District since it was created in 1918. \u00ad\u00ad<\/p>\n<p>So yes, it\u2019s an awfully tall hill Nicole LeFavour is trying to climb.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Burley, Idaho is farm country.\u00a0 About 10,000 people live in the eastern Idaho town, that for many is just a stop off I-84 to gas up. This is Republican Congressman Mike Simpson\u2019s home turf.\u00a0 He was born in here. But now, Boise Democrat Nicole LeFavour is making one of the most serious runs at his [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":12215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[138,89,185],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12209"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12209"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12209\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12234,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12209\/revisions\/12234"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}