John Cross of Post Falls, to the left of emcee Bruce Maddox of Rathdrum, denounces the stand taken by state Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene, in favor of the governor's state-run health exchange during the legislative forum at the Coeur d'Alene Library Saturday. Cross is the GOP Region 1 chairman. According to the Coeur d'Alene Press, Cross told Malek he could no longer support Malek's political career as a result of the freshman's state exchange stance, Malek said: "I'm honored, honored to have this seat, but I'm not going to sacrifice my principals." Coeur d'Alene Press story here. (Duane Rasmussen photo for Huckleberries Online)

DFO: I find it extremely refreshing that newcomer Reps. Malek and Ed Morse aren't walking lock-step with the conservative hardliners in control of the Kootenai County GOP machinery. Only last year, the local GOP, including the Reagan Republicans and all legislative candidates, lined up en masse behind state Superintendent Tom Luna's so-called education reform proposals -- only to watch as Idahoans overwhelmingly rejected that dangerous experiment. It wouldn't surprise me that, beyond the local GOP power structure, that most Idahoans see wisdom in the governor's plan to have the state control the health exchange rather than the feds. Those who are still fighting Obamacare after the Supreme Court decision in favor of it are in serious need of a reality check.

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