2010 Idaho Senate - Crapo vs. Sullivan

In 1888, Benjamin Harrison defeated Grover Cleveland for the presidency. In an attempt to create a permanent Republican majority, the Republicans admitted six new states to the Union, carved out of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. Like most attempts to build permanent majorities, it failed. Republicans lost Idaho in 1892. While they won in 1896, most of their other newly admitted states voted for the Democrat, as the silver issue came to dominate Western politics.

Idaho swung between the parties from 1900 through 1950, but eventually settled back with the Republican Party. Republicans overwhelmingly dominate the legislature and have held both Senate seats since liberal Democrat Frank Church was defeated in 1980.
Senator Mike Crapo was elected after Dirk Kempthorne became the Governor in 2000. Crapo didn’t face a Democratic opponent in 2004. In 2010, he drew financial consultant Tom Sullivan, who has raised $40,000 as of the end of the second quarter.