Motorists lined up for more than an hour Tuesday to buy cut-rate fuel subsidized by congressional candidate Walt Minnick's campaign at a Boise gas station.
Minnick, a Democrat running in Idaho's 1st District, said he was bringing attention to high gas prices. His Republican rivals panned the event as a "publicity stunt."
"I'm trying to get the attention of the media to let them know that Idahoans are extremely unhappy (about gas prices)," Minnick said.
For an hour, Minnick offered motorists gas for $2.26 per gallon at the Chevron station at the corner of Ustick and Cole roads, $1.33 less than the posted price. Minnick officials say the campaign spent more than $4,200 to reimburse the gas station for the difference in price.
Minnick's gas giveaway appears to conform to campaign law, a Federal Election Commission official said.
Boise police had to be called out to help with traffic control as a line of cars snaked out of the station and onto Ustick and Cole roads.
"It's amazing what people will do to save $1.30 in gas," said Aaron Mabey, who waited in line for well over an hour to put less than four gallons in his tank.
Idaho Republican Party Executive Director Sid Smith dismissed the event.
"It's a nice publicity stunt," he said. "I don't know what it's going to do really to lower gas prices."
Minnick pointed out that Republican incumbent Bill Sali had a fundraiser with oil executives Tuesday and accused Sali of being unduly influenced by oil interests.
Sali spokesman Wayne Hoffman defended the fundraiser. "Bill has a lot of support from companies big and small because of his pro-business voting record," he said.
Hoffman said the Democratic Congress is worsening America's energy policies and that Minnick would continue those policies if elected.
"Radical environmentalists like Walt Minnick are directly responsible for the environmental policies that have given us high gas prices," he said.
Minnick's plan for improving gas prices is to invest more in alternative energy like wind, solar, and biofuels that don't drive up food prices.
Short term, he said the U.S. should stop buying oil for its strategic reserves.
"It's crazy at $3.59 a gallon to continue to buy more of that expensive oil ... to fill that petroleum reserve."
Matt Salisbury, who is running against Sali in the Republican primary, said neither Minnick's gas giveaway nor Sali's fundraiser do anything to solve America's energy woes.
"We have the means domestically to solve this problem and we should be worrying about how to get this done with our own means in our backyard," he said.
Heath Druzin: 373-6617
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