Ann Romney’s first fundraising trip to Idaho drew over 200 people and raised about $500,000 Thursday night, said Romney’s Idaho finance chief, Travis Hawkes.

The Romney campaign has now raised $3.7 million in Idaho, with Mitt Romney having held five closed-door fundraisers and two rallies in the Gem State. The fee for the event at The Club at SpurWing in Meridian ranged from $1,000 to $25,000 per couple.

Sen. Jim Risch, Romney’s Idaho co-chairman, said Mrs. Romney spoke for about 15 minutes. “The themes were the themes of the campaign, and that is that Mitt Romney is the person to turn this country around. She was talking about how competent her husband is, how she’s watched him turn other things around and how he can turn this country around.”

Risch said Ann Romney was upbeat and didn't show any of the anger she displayed last week for critics of the campaign from inside the GOP.

“She was very, very grateful for all the help that Idahoans have given the campaign. She’s obviously aware, as everyone is, that Idaho has been a pretty substantial player in the Romney campaign from a financial standpoint.”

Risch said Hawkes discussed internal polling that is more favorable to Romney than public polls showing a growing lead for Obama.

“She had real optimism,” Risch said. “All we get from the mainstream media is gloom and doom. It was a nice event. There was a lot of enthusiasm.”

Mrs. Romney’s visit was sandwiched between stops in Nevada and California.

Dan Popkey: 377-6438, Twitter: @IDS_politics