Wham! Labor Day passed, the weather cooled, and now the airwaves are alight with campaign ads, some of which started airing just as Idahoans were glued to their TVs for the exciting college football matchup last night between the BSU Broncos and Virginia Tech. Candidates unveiling their first TV commercials of the campaign include incumbent Gov. Butch Otter, his Democratic challenger Keith Allred, and incumbent 1st District Congressman Walt Minnick.

Otter's ad, "Gov. Otter tackles the issues 'Head-On'," started airing in the Boise, Idaho Falls and Pocatello areas and will launch in North Idaho and Spokane "soon," his campaign reports; it's the first in a series of commercials that will run in rotation. Allred's ad, "Keith's Values," started airing in southern Idaho last night and, like Otter's, soon will launch up north. Minnick's ad, "Standing up to Washington is right for Idaho," is running in Boise, Lewiston and Spokane, throughout the 1st CD.