Conservatives from California bolster conservative dominance of North Idaho; school elections today

Conservative transplants largely from California have taken over Kootenai County," Idaho, High Country News reports, asking, "Have they gone too far?" (Wikipedia map)

The story by Sierra Crane-Murdoch starts with former County Clerk Dan English, who recounted how Kootenai's voter performance veered rightward from 1996 to 2002, leaving him as the only Democrat left in an elected county office. He finally lost it in 2010, long after USA Today had dubbed Kootenai "the most Republican county in the most Republican state in the nation."

That's all we can share with you, because High Country News is available only by subscription, but the story's headline promises that it reveals "How right-wing emigrants conquered North Idaho." But you might want to check the The Spokesman-Review of nearby Spokane, Wash., where blogger Dave Oliveria took note of the HCN story, saying it "connects the dots." He tied it to today's local elections: "On Tuesday, we’ll learn whether Kootenai County archconservatives who call themselves 'Republicans' for politics’ sake will keep total control of the Coeur d’Alene School Board. And establish beachheads on the Post Falls School Board and Kootenai Hospital Board. The end game for the ideological radicals is the overthrow of the Coeur d’Alene City Council this fall." (Read more)