Democrat Jimmy Farris is acknowledging he exaggerated when he said he’s “never run into” freshman GOP Rep. Raul Labrador during the campaign for Idaho's 1st Congressional District. In fact, Farris tweeted a photo of him chatting with Labrador at the Canyon County Fair in July.
“Me and @Raul_Labrador at the Canyon Co Fair. The first of many substantive conversations,” wrote a hopeful Farris.
Owning up to his misstatement, Farris said, “You’re right. That’s legit. I did say I hadn’t seen him, and I did see him. I should have been more clear about specifying that when I’m out on the trail, anywhere other than basically Boise, this guy doesn’t leave home.”
Farris said the encounter at the fair was the only time he’s seen Labrador. He accuses him of “treating his re-election as if he’s unopposed.”
Farris is experiencing a frustration common among little-known challengers facing incumbents. “I’ve struggled raising money, but we’re running a solid campaign. He just won’t engage.”
Through June 30, Farris raised $37,387, Labrador $547,328. Farris said he hopes to have raised $100,000 by month’s end.
Other than the Canyon fair, Farris said he hasn’t seen Labrador at any of the “15 or 20” fairs, rodeos and parades where he’s campaigned this summer. Labrador has agreed to two TV debates, Oct. 23 on KTVB-Channel 7 and Oct. 25 on Idaho Public TV.
As is his custom with Farris, Labrador declined comment. I sought a reaction from Labrador’s official spokesman, Phil Hardy, and his campaign manager, China Gum, asking for information on his official and campaign schedules. Hardy didn’t reply to my emails. Wrote Gum, “Hi Dan: no comment.”
I did speak with Labrador Monday about his having missed 4.7 percent of his votes since taking office in January 2011, a rate twice the typical House member. He said he is staying connected to Idaho by traveling home frequently, which has led to missed votes because of delayed flights.
“I come home every weekend,” Labrador said. “I’m more accessible to the constituents, more accessible to the people, I can spend time with my family.”
Labrador, 44, hasn’t disguised that he’s uncomfortable with life on Capitol Hill. He sleeps on an air mattress in his office and speaks of missing his wife and the four of their five children still at home. Those personal sacrifices have fueled speculation Labrador will run for governor in 2014 so he can come home.
For now, Farris alleges Labrador is holing up with his family and ducking the campaign give-and-take.
“It’s no secret that he does not like being in Washington,” Farris told me Monday. “I don’t know where he’s at or what he’s doing. The people of Idaho don’t know where he’s at or what he’s doing. They see him every couple months when he does ‘Meet the Press’ or something like that.”
Farris crossed the truth line Wednesday in an appearance on Nate Shelman’s show on KBOI 670.
“I was up north for weeks at a time campaigning, working the district, out there getting my name out, something that the congressman hasn’t been doing,” Farris said. “I haven’t seen him out on the campaign trail. I’ve never run into him. I wish I had some good stories about running into him somewhere.”
Farris said he wasn’t surprised to get my call. “As soon as I said that, I probably knew that was coming. I’d hit me on it.”
Dan Popkey: 377-6438, Twitter: @IDS_politics
