The latest Idaho poll by Idaho Politics Weekly, conducted by Dan Jones & Associates, shows a surprising 70 percent of Idahoans favor boosting the state’s minimum wage to $10 an hour. The reason this is surprising: Idaho’s elected state Legislature has never been enthusiastic about raising the minimum wage, and only grudgingly has agreed over the years to keep it at the same level as the federal minimum, which currently is $7.25 an hour. Idaho employees who receive tips can be paid less and make up part of their minimum through tips, as long as they’re paid at least $3.35 per hour in base wages and receive at least $30 a month in tips; you can read my full story here at spokesman.com.

The poll, which queried 601 Idaho adults from May 20-28, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.98 percent. It found that overall, 70 percent of respondents favored raising the minimum to $10 an hour; 29 percent opposed such a move; and 1 percent didn’t know.

Among Republican respondents, 56 percent favored the increase, 43 percent opposed it, and 3 percent didn’t know. Among Democratic respondents, 90 percent were in favor, 3 percent against, and 1 percent undecided. Among those who said they’re independents, 74 percent were in favor, 26 percent against, and 1 percent undecided. Respondents who described themselves as “very conservative” were the only group opposing the hike, with 53 percent opposed, 45 percent in favor, and 2 percent undecided. You can read Idaho Politics Weekly’s full report here; the weekly newsletter is published under the auspices of Zions Bank, and includes regular Idaho polling by the Utah-based polling firm.