Rasmussen Reports has released its latest automated poll in Idaho election campaigns, and it shows incumbent Gov. Butch Otter leading Democratic challenger Keith Allred, 53 percent to 36 percent. The same group's May poll showed a 54-32 Otter-Allred lead, and in March, 60-32. Rasmussen reported that the latest numbers show Otter "still holds a sizable lead over his Democratic opponent," and said, "Any Democratic candidate faces long odds in Idaho. The state hasn't elected a Democrat governor in 20 years." Shea Andersen, spokesman for the Allred campaign, had a different take: "To me, the direction is clear," he said. "This shows Keith Allred gaining and Butch Otter slipping."

The automated poll also showed Sen. Mike Crapo with a big lead in his re-election bid, and 56 percent of Idahoans approving of the job Otter's doing as governor, while 41 percent disapproved; there's more here.