Not that the end result necessarily will be much different, but one of Idaho’s most unusual candidates this year – Melissa Sue Robinson, running for mayor of Nampa against incumbent Tom Dale – is creating a larger stir than you might have expected. What there was at first was just some interest by way of curiosity. Melissa Sue used to be Charles, and that change of genders at first seemed to be central to her candidacy, an emphasis on issues related to sexual identity. (Consider her campaign website’s domain, equalityidaho.org.) Or that at least was our first reaction, and considering that the electoral jurisdiction we’re talking about is conservative Nampa, there seemed not much more to say. Since then, a few months back, matters have developed. The transgender part of the campaign hasn’t gone away – how could it? – but it has become a news peg for a variety of news organizations to take a look at the race/Randy Stapilus, Ridenbaugh Press. More here.

• Daily politics brief, and: Tuesday morning news/Treasured Valley
• Variable value of human life/Adam's Blog
• One more problem w/Otter's Idaho university cuts/Kevin Richert
• Who will be this century's Teddy Roosevelt?/Rocky Barker

Question: Would you vote for a transgender candidate who was qualified to hold office?

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