[Vision2020] Takasugi Joins Sali Challenger

[Tom Hansen]

Scuttlebutt has it that Republican challenger Matt Salisbury is running on
the "I'm Not Bill Sali" platform.

>From today's (August 21, 2007) Spokesman Review -

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Takasugi joins Sali challenger 
Republican to chair Salisbury campaign
Betsy Z. Russell 
Staff writer
August 21, 2007

BOISE - Pat Takasugi, former state agriculture director and a prominent
Republican, has signed on as campaign chairman for Matt Salisbury's GOP
primary challenge to Rep. Bill Sali. Salisbury, 34, is an Iraq war veteran
and GOP activist who now works for Phillips Industries, an electrical parts
manufacturer.

Takasugi, a former Canyon County GOP chairman, said, "Matt understands that
it takes big ideas to solve big problems, and he won't become mired in small
debates that divide us. He has the toughness, honed in the battlefields of
Iraq, to lead Idaho and America into the 21st century. That's why I
volunteered to be Matt's chairman."
 
Sali most recently has been defending his comments that a Muslim serving in
Congress and a Hindu prayer being offered to open a Senate session were "not
what was envisioned by the founding fathers." His term thus far has been
marked by numerous "no" votes, sometimes on issues supported by his own
party's leadership, along with calls for reform in how Congress works.

Takasugi, 58, is a prominent farmer from Wilder who was appointed state
agriculture director in 1996 by then-Gov. Phil Batt. He also served under
Govs. Dirk Kempthorne and Jim Risch. Gov. Butch Otter replaced Takasugi this
year with Celia Gould.

Takasugi has long been active in Republican politics, although this is the
first time he'll chair a congressional campaign.

"I've seen many a race, and they're grueling, and people don't say nice
things about you," Takasugi told The Spokesman-Review. "But I think it's
time. I don't want to say anything bad about Bill Sali, but I think people
are ready for an option, even in the Republican ranks - maybe especially in
the Republican ranks."

Sali won a six-way GOP primary last year with 25.8 percent of the vote to
become his party's nominee for the 1st District congressional seat, which
represents North Idaho. He then narrowly defeated Democrat Larry Grant in
the general election. Grant is running again, as is Democrat Rand Lewis, of
Worley.

Takasugi said he's known Salisbury for years, and the two talked about
military service before Salisbury joined up. Takasugi is a former Army
captain who served five years on active duty and five years in the reserves.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)