Keith Allred, the founder of The Common Interest who's decided to run for governor as a Democrat, will announce his candidacy on Thursday at 11 a.m. in the gym at Twin Falls High School, the place where he gave his first speech when he was in the 6th grade and where he spoke often as high school student body president; he's a 1983 graduate of the school. Allred said in a news release that he'll appear at events afterward in Boise on Thursday and Coeur d'Alene on Friday, but the Twin Falls event will be his only official announcement. Allred hasn't yet spoken publicly since filing his declaration of candidacy last week, a big surprise as he'd made his mark in Idaho politics previously in a strictly nonpartisan role, with the citizen advocacy group he founded.

Allred will take on GOP Gov. Butch Otter, who's not yet formally announced his re-election plans but has a campaign up and running. Also in the race are independents Jana Kemp and "Pro-Life;" Republicans Sharon Ullman, Rex Rammell, and Ron "Pete" Peterson; and Democrat Lee R. Chaney Sr.

---

---