An analysis of the “politics of the pratfall” in this year’s race for Idaho state superintendent of schools, penned by Idaho Education News reporter Kevin Richert, examines how a series of high-profile blunders by the GOP candidate, Sherri Ybarra, could resonate in the race between Ybarra and Democratic rival Jana Jones. “It becomes a pattern, and I think that’s a big issue,” College of Idaho political scientist Jasper LiCalzi told Richert. Longtime Idaho political observer Jim Weatherby told Richert, “This will be a real test of the power of the ‘R’ behind her name.” Richert’s full article is online here.

Meanwhile, Richert reports today that Ybarra, who has stressed throughout her campaign that she's still working full-time in education as an administrator in the Mountain Home School District, has taken time off to campaign, but neither she nor the district would provide details; that report is online here.