GOP lawmakers from far-flung parts of the state are trying to figure out how, or if, they can participate in their local county presidential caucuses next Tuesday; some simply won't be able to. At the early-morning JFAC work session today, the joint committee members discussed possibly delaying their daily meeting until mid-morning next Wednesday. Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, said he still wouldn't be able to make the trip. "I'd have to take a day and a half," he said. "I just don't feel comfortable in leaving my responsibilities here as a legislator." He added, "I think it should've been done on a weekend."

Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, said she attended her local party presidential caucus four years ago, and it was "really, really fun." "I think everyone who can go should go," she said. Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, said lawmakers who can't make it to their home county's caucuses are welcome to come to the Ada  or Canyon County caucus just for the fun of it - but noted they wouldn't get to vote.

The idea of delaying next Wednesday's JFAC meeting is that the joint committee has been completing its budget-setting by 9 a.m. most days; it could meet at 10, rather than 8, and have its early-morning work session at 9:30 rather than 7, to avoid endangering anyone who's on the road trying to get back to Boise for a 7 a.m. meeting. Said Eskridge, "Even though the three of us (from the North Idaho Panhandle) couldn't make it ... I would certainly support delaying the meeting, because I wouldn't want to put anybody in danger." Numerous lawmakers, including JFAC Co-Chair Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, are planning to drive home and back to make their local caucuses.