Mabbutt: A winnable race in Canyon County.

As you watch the election returns Tuesday night, pay close attention to Richard Mabbutt's race in District 12 in Canyon County.  One look at the issues listed on Richard's website, www.mabbuttforidaho.com, and you know that he is true advocate of progressive causes.  Some, like the Press Tribune, would call him too liberal for Canyon County (is that a bad thing?) but he has a couple of things going for him that should not be overlooked.

First, District 12 is the only compact district in Canyon County.  By that I mean that it is mostly urban with a good portion located in the developed area of Nampa.  As such, unlike the other districts in Canyon County that are spread out all over the county, the majority of houses are close together making them easier to canvass.  That makes knocking on doors and literature drops much easier.

The other reason Richard has a good chance of making it to the legislature is his campaign manager, treasurer, and wife, Maria Gonzales Mabbutt.  Why?  Because she is the best campaign organizer in Idaho, bar none.

I can say that because I know it to be true.  Maria was my campaign manager for my race for Congress.  I know she didn't have the title yet but she would have if I had not dropped out.  Maria has more experience in voter identification, voter registration, volunteer coordination and GOTV than anyone in Idaho.  You can bet that she is putting all those skills to work in Richard's race.

Whatever else is going on, we all know that the things that turned Boise blue was knocking on doors and direct voter contact.  The Mabbutt race is doing that in Canyon County and, given the geography, the results on election night will be well worth watching.