C. L. Otter
Encyclopedia
Clement Leroy "Butch" Otter (born May 3, 1942) is the 32nd and current Governor of Idaho since January 2007 and is a member of the Republican Party
. Otter previously represented the state's First Congressional District
.
Otter was the longest serving Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
, holding office from 1987-2001. He is the first Idahoan since statehood to win elections as both a United States Representative
and as governor. He is the third Catholic
to serve as governor of Idaho and the first to win election since James H. Hawley
in 1910.
electrician
and the family lived in many rural locations in the Midwest & Western U.S. during his youth, attending 15 different schools. He graduated from St. Teresa's Academy (now Bishop Kelly High School
) in Boise
in 1962. he is also Anthony Otter's uncle.
Otter was 20 when he graduated from high school– a childhood accident involving gasoline badly burned his younger brother and forced Otter to take a year off. Otter worked throughout high school as a janitor, theater ticket taker, and lawn boy. "My dad graduated from high school. My expectations weren’t built beyond being a good electrician or carpenter." Otter briefly attended St. Martin's Abbey in Lacey, Washington
, with an aim to becoming a priest. He attended the school primarily because of his father's opinion that "unless you were going to be a priest, you didn't need to go beyond high school."
Deciding against the priesthood, Otter returned to Idaho and attended Boise Junior College
, then earned his B.A.
in political science
from the College of Idaho in 1967. He was the only member of his family to graduate from college, and made the dean's list in his last term. He served in the Idaho Army National Guard
's 116th Armored Cavalry from 1968-73. He received specialized training at Fort Knox. His business experience includes 30 years with Simplot International
, a leading agribusiness corporation. He started at a low-level position and eventually rose to the company's presidency.
. In 1978, Otter ran for Governor of Idaho, but was defeated in the Republican primary by Allan Larsen
. Otter continued to remain active in the Idaho Republican Party
, holding several state and county positions.
Cecil Andrus
, and Republicans Phil Batt
and Dirk Kempthorne
. In 1991, when the Idaho Senate was evenly divided between 21 Republicans and 21 Democrats, Otter's tie-breaking votes kept the body under GOP control. Otter left the post midway through his fourth term in 2001 to take his Congressional seat. He is the longest-serving lieutenant governor in Idaho history.
had promised to serve only three terms in the House when first elected in the Republican wave of 1994, and kept that pledge in 2000 even after calling term limits bad policy. Otter entered the Republican primary, and immediately became the favorite due to his name recognition as lieutenant governor. He won handily, and breezed to victory in November. He was re-elected in 2002 and 2004 with no substantive opposition.
In Congress, Otter was largely conservative with a slight libertarian
streak, as reflected in his opposition to the Patriot Act. He was one of three Republicans (along with Bob Ney
of Ohio
and Ron Paul
of Texas) to vote against the act in 2001. He has since stated that "much of the USA PATRIOT Act is needed to help protect us in a dangerous age of stateless zealots and mindless violence". Otter was also very critical of the Bush Administration
's terrorist surveillance program concerning communications from within the United States to those outside the United States. He served as a deputy majority whip for most of his time in Congress.
in the November 6 general election. Brady, the former publisher of The Post Register
in Idaho Falls, had run for governor in 2002, losing to incumbent Dirk Kempthorne
.
Otter was initially considered an overwhelming favorite, given his popularity and Idaho's strong Republican lean. However, the race was far closer than expected in the last weeks of the campaign. A poll conducted for the Idaho Statesman
and Boise ABC
affiliate KIVI
showed Otter ahead of Brady by only a single point– a statistical dead heat. According to the Statesman, it was the first time in over a decade that the governor's race has not already been decided 10 days prior to the election. State Republican Party chairman Kirk Sullivan told the paper that the race appeared to be closer than normal because of a strong national trend against the Republicans. Otter pulled away in the final week, and won the election 52-44%– the closest gubernatorial race since 1994. He was reelected in 2010, and sworn in to his second term on January 7, 2011.
and has voted to ban federal funding of abortions and opposes partial-birth abortions. He also supports parental consent laws for minors who seek an abortion. He supports a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between "one man and one woman." He has voted for establishing a nationwide AMBER alert
system for missing children. He has been a strong advocate for second amendment rights and opposes federal restrictions on gun sales.
On economic issues, he has voted for a 2001 bankruptcy overhaul requiring partial debt repayment. He supports a balanced budget amendment to the US constitution and supports broad based tax cuts including eliminating the estate and marriage tax. He has voted to reduce the marriage tax by $399B over 10 years. He has supported expanding free trade agreements with nations such as Singapore and Chile. He has also voted for medical malpractice and tort reform. He has voted to allow importation of prescription drugs and has supported small business associations to reduce health insurance costs via collaborative efforts. Otter has voted to end offshore tax havens and promote tax credits for small businesses. He has voted to raise 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable.
Otter has recommended an increase in Idaho state educational funding by $1.36 billion as well as expanding needs-based scholarships for college-bound students. Otter supports expanding offshore oil drilling and supports tax incentives for development of alternative fuels. He has stated that the US should set a goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025. He has voted to build a fence along the Mexican border and has opposed granting amnesty to illegal aliens.
Otter has voted against allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. He has supported military recruitment efforts on college campuses and has voted for adopting the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. He opposes a time table for withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.
. Otter even remarked that he would be first in line to purchase a tag to kill one of the animals. This position drew criticism from many Western environmental and animal advocate groups, including Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals
who called for a boycott of potatoes from Idaho
.
. After 28 years of marriage, the couple amicably divorced in 1992. On August 18, 2006, Otter married his longtime girlfriend and former Miss Idaho USA
Lori Easley
in Meridian
.
|+ Idaho Lieutenant Governor
: Results 1986–1998
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1986
|
| |
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |
| align="right" |
| |
|
|-
|1990
|
| |(no candidate)
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |
| align="right" |246,132
| |100%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1994
|
| |
| align="right" |191,625
| |47.4%
|
| |
| align="right" |213,009
| |52.6%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1998
|
| |
| align="right" |133,688
| |35.6%
|
| |
| align="right" |225,704
| |60.2%
|
| |
| |American Heritage
| align="right" |15,769
| align="right" |4.2%
|
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ : Results 2000–2004
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|2000
|
| |
| align="right" |84,080
| |31.4%
|
| |
| align="right" |173,743
| |64.8%
|
| |
| |Libertarian
| align="right" |6,093
| align="right" |2.3%
|
| |
| |Reform
| align="right" |4,200
| align="right" |1.6%
|
|-
|2002
|
| |
| align="right" |80,269
| |38.9%
|
| |
| align="right" |120,743
| |58.6%
|
| |
| |Libertarian
| align="right" |5,129
| align="right" |2.5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2004
|
| |
| align="right" |90,927
| |30.5%
|
| |
| align="right" |207,662
| |69.5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ Idaho Governor: Results 2006–2010
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|2006
|
| |Jerry Brady
| align="right" |198,845
| |44.11%
|
| |
| align="right" |237,437
| |52.67%
|
| |
| |Constitution
| align="right" |7,309
| align="right" |1.62%
|
| |
| |Libertarian
| align="right" |7,241
| align="right" |1.61%
|
|-
|2010
|
| |Keith G. Allred
| align="right" |148,680
| |32.9%
|
| |
| align="right" |267,483
| |59.1%
|
| |Jana Kemp
| |Independent
| align="right" |26,655
| align="right" |5.9%
|
| |Ted Dunlap
| |Libertarian
| align="right" |5,867
| align="right" |1.3%
U.S. Representative 2001–2007
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. Otter previously represented the state's First Congressional District
Idaho's 1st congressional district
Idaho's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Idaho. The district encompasses the western and northern parts of the state and includes the western third of the state capital, Boise, and most of its suburbs, including Nampa, Caldwell, and Meridian...
.
Otter was the longest serving Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
Lieutenant Governor of Idaho is a constitutional statewide elected office in the State of Idaho. According to the Idaho Constitution, the lieutenant governor is elected to a four-year term....
, holding office from 1987-2001. He is the first Idahoan since statehood to win elections as both a United States Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and as governor. He is the third Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
to serve as governor of Idaho and the first to win election since James H. Hawley
James H. Hawley
James Henry Hawley was the ninth Governor of Idaho from 1911 until 1913. Hawley also served as mayor of Boise from 1903 to 1905.-Biography:...
in 1910.
Early life and career
Butch Otter was born into a small family of limited means. His father was a journeymanJourneyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
electrician
Electrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
and the family lived in many rural locations in the Midwest & Western U.S. during his youth, attending 15 different schools. He graduated from St. Teresa's Academy (now Bishop Kelly High School
Bishop Kelly High School
Bishop Kelly High School is a private Roman Catholic high school in Boise, Idaho, operated by the Diocese of Boise.-History:The school opened its doors in the fall of 1964, succeeding St. Teresa's Academy, which had closed that spring. Bishop Kelly is the only Catholic high school in the state of...
) in Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
in 1962. he is also Anthony Otter's uncle.
Otter was 20 when he graduated from high school– a childhood accident involving gasoline badly burned his younger brother and forced Otter to take a year off. Otter worked throughout high school as a janitor, theater ticket taker, and lawn boy. "My dad graduated from high school. My expectations weren’t built beyond being a good electrician or carpenter." Otter briefly attended St. Martin's Abbey in Lacey, Washington
Lacey, Washington
Lacey is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. Established as a suburb of Olympia, its population was 42,393 at the 2010 census out of a county population of 252,264.-History:...
, with an aim to becoming a priest. He attended the school primarily because of his father's opinion that "unless you were going to be a priest, you didn't need to go beyond high school."
Deciding against the priesthood, Otter returned to Idaho and attended Boise Junior College
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
, then earned his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the College of Idaho in 1967. He was the only member of his family to graduate from college, and made the dean's list in his last term. He served in the Idaho Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
's 116th Armored Cavalry from 1968-73. He received specialized training at Fort Knox. His business experience includes 30 years with Simplot International
Simplot
The J. R. Simplot Company, commonly referred to as Simplot, was founded in 1923 by 14-year-old J. R. Simplot near the small agricultural community of Declo in south central Idaho. J. R. Simplot led his company to tremendous growth in the period between its founding and World War II...
, a leading agribusiness corporation. He started at a low-level position and eventually rose to the company's presidency.
Idaho legislature
His first bid for elective office was in 1972 when he was elected a member of the Idaho State House of Representatives from Canyon CountyCanyon County, Idaho
Canyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 188,923. The county seat is Caldwell, and its largest city is Nampa.. Canyon County is part of the Boise City–Nampa, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :The county was...
. In 1978, Otter ran for Governor of Idaho, but was defeated in the Republican primary by Allan Larsen
Allan Larsen
Allan F. Larsen was a Republican politician from Idaho. He was the Republican nominee for Governor of Idaho in 1978. Larsen was defeated by the Democratic incumbent, John V. Evans....
. Otter continued to remain active in the Idaho Republican Party
Idaho Republican Party
The Idaho Republican Party, the Idaho state affiliate of the United States Republican Party, is the dominant political party in the state of Idaho. Republicans control the all constitutional offices, with C.L. "Butch" Otter as Governor. They also control by large margins the state Senate and House...
, holding several state and county positions.
Lieutenant governor
In 1986, Otter returned to politics and was elected Lieutenant Governor of Idaho. He was reelected in 1990, 1994 and 1998. He served under three different governors, DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Cecil Andrus
Cecil D. Andrus
Cecil Dale Andrus was an American politician who served as Governor of Idaho from 1971 to 1977, and again from 1987 to 1995; and in Washington as United States Secretary of the Interior from 1977 to 1981, during the Carter administration...
, and Republicans Phil Batt
Phil Batt
Philip Eugene Batt was the 29th Governor of Idaho from 1995 to 1999.Batt was an onion and hops farmer from Wilder...
and Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Arthur Kempthorne , was the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who served under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009. A Republican, Kempthorne previously served as the 30th Governor and as a U.S. Senator from Idaho...
. In 1991, when the Idaho Senate was evenly divided between 21 Republicans and 21 Democrats, Otter's tie-breaking votes kept the body under GOP control. Otter left the post midway through his fourth term in 2001 to take his Congressional seat. He is the longest-serving lieutenant governor in Idaho history.
Congressman
First District Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth-HageHelen Chenoweth-Hage
Helen P. Chenoweth-Hage, born Helen Margaret Palmer was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Idaho, the first Republican woman to represent that state in the United States Congress....
had promised to serve only three terms in the House when first elected in the Republican wave of 1994, and kept that pledge in 2000 even after calling term limits bad policy. Otter entered the Republican primary, and immediately became the favorite due to his name recognition as lieutenant governor. He won handily, and breezed to victory in November. He was re-elected in 2002 and 2004 with no substantive opposition.
In Congress, Otter was largely conservative with a slight libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
streak, as reflected in his opposition to the Patriot Act. He was one of three Republicans (along with Bob Ney
Bob Ney
Robert William Ney is an American politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. A Republican, Ney represented Ohio's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 until November 3, 2006, when he resigned...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
of Texas) to vote against the act in 2001. He has since stated that "much of the USA PATRIOT Act is needed to help protect us in a dangerous age of stateless zealots and mindless violence". Otter was also very critical of the Bush Administration
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's terrorist surveillance program concerning communications from within the United States to those outside the United States. He served as a deputy majority whip for most of his time in Congress.
2006 election
On December 15 Otter announced his candidacy for the gubernatorial seat in 2006. Otter defeated three opponents in the May 23 Republican primary and faced Democrat Jerry BradyJerry Brady
Jerry Michael Brady is an Idaho politician and owns a newspaper that is distributed in southeast Idaho...
in the November 6 general election. Brady, the former publisher of The Post Register
The Post Register
The Post Register is a U.S. daily newspaper serving the Idaho Falls, Idaho, area, as well as Jackson, Wyoming, and West Yellowstone, Montana. It is owned by the Jerry Brady family and their employees.- History :...
in Idaho Falls, had run for governor in 2002, losing to incumbent Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Arthur Kempthorne , was the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who served under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009. A Republican, Kempthorne previously served as the 30th Governor and as a U.S. Senator from Idaho...
.
Otter was initially considered an overwhelming favorite, given his popularity and Idaho's strong Republican lean. However, the race was far closer than expected in the last weeks of the campaign. A poll conducted for the Idaho Statesman
Idaho Statesman
The Idaho Statesman is a U.S. daily newspaper serving the Boise, Idaho metropolitan area. The paper has a circulation of 61,000 daily, 83,038 Sunday, and employs about 300 people. It is owned by The McClatchy Company....
and Boise ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate KIVI
KIVI
KIVI-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Idaho's Treasure Valley licensed to Nampa. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 24 from a transmitter at the Bogus Basin ski area summit in unincorporated Boise County. The station can also be seen on Cable One channel 6...
showed Otter ahead of Brady by only a single point– a statistical dead heat. According to the Statesman, it was the first time in over a decade that the governor's race has not already been decided 10 days prior to the election. State Republican Party chairman Kirk Sullivan told the paper that the race appeared to be closer than normal because of a strong national trend against the Republicans. Otter pulled away in the final week, and won the election 52-44%– the closest gubernatorial race since 1994. He was reelected in 2010, and sworn in to his second term on January 7, 2011.
Political positions
Otter is pro-lifePro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
and has voted to ban federal funding of abortions and opposes partial-birth abortions. He also supports parental consent laws for minors who seek an abortion. He supports a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between "one man and one woman." He has voted for establishing a nationwide AMBER alert
AMBER Alert
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world, issued upon the suspected abduction of a child, since 1996...
system for missing children. He has been a strong advocate for second amendment rights and opposes federal restrictions on gun sales.
On economic issues, he has voted for a 2001 bankruptcy overhaul requiring partial debt repayment. He supports a balanced budget amendment to the US constitution and supports broad based tax cuts including eliminating the estate and marriage tax. He has voted to reduce the marriage tax by $399B over 10 years. He has supported expanding free trade agreements with nations such as Singapore and Chile. He has also voted for medical malpractice and tort reform. He has voted to allow importation of prescription drugs and has supported small business associations to reduce health insurance costs via collaborative efforts. Otter has voted to end offshore tax havens and promote tax credits for small businesses. He has voted to raise 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable.
Otter has recommended an increase in Idaho state educational funding by $1.36 billion as well as expanding needs-based scholarships for college-bound students. Otter supports expanding offshore oil drilling and supports tax incentives for development of alternative fuels. He has stated that the US should set a goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025. He has voted to build a fence along the Mexican border and has opposed granting amnesty to illegal aliens.
Otter has voted against allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. He has supported military recruitment efforts on college campuses and has voted for adopting the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. He opposes a time table for withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Gray Wolf Hunt
On January 11, 2007, Otter announced his support for a "gray wolf kill," in which all but 100 of Idaho's recently-recovered population would be eradicated, pending the forthcoming U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removal of the wolves' federal protections under the Endangered Species ActEndangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
. Otter even remarked that he would be first in line to purchase a tag to kill one of the animals. This position drew criticism from many Western environmental and animal advocate groups, including Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals
Friends of Animals
Friends of Animals is an animal rights group based in Darien, Connecticut in the United States. It was founded by Alice Herrington in 1957 in Manhattan, New York, with an aim of reducing the number of stray cats and dogs by offering low cost spay and neutering, and went on to expand its activities...
who called for a boycott of potatoes from Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
.
Personal
In 1964, Otter married Gay Simplot, daughter of J. R. SimplotJ. R. Simplot
John Richard Simplot was the founder of the J. R. Simplot Company, an agricultural supplier specializing in potato products, based in Boise, Idaho. In 2007 he was estimated to be the 89th-richest person in America, at $3.6 billion...
. After 28 years of marriage, the couple amicably divorced in 1992. On August 18, 2006, Otter married his longtime girlfriend and former Miss Idaho USA
Miss Idaho USA
The Miss Idaho USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss USA pageant.Idaho is one of the least successful states in the history of the competition, with only four placements in fifty-seven years...
Lori Easley
Lori Easley
Lori Easley Otter has served as First Lady of Idaho since 2007. She is a former beauty queen who is married to current Governor of Idaho C. L. "Butch" Otter....
in Meridian
Meridian, Idaho
-History:The town was established in 1891 on the Onweiler farm north of the present site and was called Hunter. Two years later an I.O.O.F. lodge was organized and called itself Meridian because it was located on the Boise Meridian and the town was renamed...
.
Controversy
In August 1992 Otter was pulled over on Interstate 84 near Meridian, Idaho for suspicion of driving under the influence. He claimed the arresting officer observed him swerving as he was reaching for his cowboy hat, which had been blown off by the wind in his open car. Otter offered several explanations for failing the field sobriety test including: his stocking feet were stung by weeds and gravel, he had run eight miles and his knee hurt, he was hungry, and that he had soaked his chewing tobacco in Jack Daniels. A jury convicted Otter in March 1993. He was sentenced to 72 hours of community service and 16 hours at an alcohol treatment program. This incident allegedly forced Otter to abandon an anticipated run for governor in 1994 and instead seek re-election for lieutenant governor.Electoral history
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"|+ Idaho Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
Lieutenant Governor of Idaho is a constitutional statewide elected office in the State of Idaho. According to the Idaho Constitution, the lieutenant governor is elected to a four-year term....
: Results 1986–1998
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1986
|
| |
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |
| align="right" |
| |
|
|-
|1990
|
| |(no candidate)
| align="right" |
| |
|
| |
| align="right" |246,132
| |100%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1994
|
| |
| align="right" |191,625
| |47.4%
|
| |
| align="right" |213,009
| |52.6%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1998
|
| |
| align="right" |133,688
| |35.6%
|
| |
| align="right" |225,704
| |60.2%
|
| |
| |American Heritage
American Heritage Party
The American Heritage Party originally began in 1977 when Billy Ray Kidwell contacted Kentucky State Senators, and Congressmen, seeking assistance with forming a new political party....
| align="right" |15,769
| align="right" |4.2%
|
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ : Results 2000–2004
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|2000
|
| |
| align="right" |84,080
| |31.4%
|
| |
| align="right" |173,743
| |64.8%
|
| |
| |Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
| align="right" |6,093
| align="right" |2.3%
|
| |
| |Reform
Reform Party of the United States of America
The Reform Party of the United States of America is a political party in the United States, founded in 1995 by Ross Perot...
| align="right" |4,200
| align="right" |1.6%
|
|-
|2002
|
| |
| align="right" |80,269
| |38.9%
|
| |
| align="right" |120,743
| |58.6%
|
| |
| |Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
| align="right" |5,129
| align="right" |2.5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2004
|
| |
| align="right" |90,927
| |30.5%
|
| |
| align="right" |207,662
| |69.5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ Idaho Governor: Results 2006–2010
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|2006
Idaho gubernatorial election, 2006
The Idaho gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Governor Jim Risch succeeded Dirk Kempthorne, who resigned May 26 to become Secretary of the Interior. Risch served as Governor until the end of the term, but had committed to a reelection campaign for Lieutenant...
|
| |Jerry Brady
Jerry Brady
Jerry Michael Brady is an Idaho politician and owns a newspaper that is distributed in southeast Idaho...
| align="right" |198,845
| |44.11%
|
| |
| align="right" |237,437
| |52.67%
|
| |
| |Constitution
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
| align="right" |7,309
| align="right" |1.62%
|
| |
| |Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
| align="right" |7,241
| align="right" |1.61%
|
|-
|2010
Idaho gubernatorial election, 2010
The 2010 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of Idaho. Incumbent Republican Governor Butch Otter won re-election, defeating his Democratic opponent Keith G. Allred.A former Lieutenant Governor and U.S...
|
| |Keith G. Allred
Keith G. Allred
Keith G. Allred, Ph.D. is the 2010 Democratic nominee for Governor of Idaho.Born in Redondo Beach, California, Allred grew up near Twin Falls, Idaho. He graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1983.After earning a Ph.D...
| align="right" |148,680
| |32.9%
|
| |
| align="right" |267,483
| |59.1%
|
| |Jana Kemp
| |Independent
| align="right" |26,655
| align="right" |5.9%
|
| |Ted Dunlap
| |Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
| align="right" |5,867
| align="right" |1.3%
External links
- Governor C. L. “Butch” Otter official state website
U.S. Representative 2001–2007
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