Riven by factions, Idaho GOP picks Semanko as new leader

New Idaho Republican Chairman Norm Semanko takes over a party that dominates the state but threatened to burst at the seams at this weekend's convention, with disparate factions at odds over everything from tackling marijuana legalization to whether to close the state's GOP primary to all but registered party voters.

Semanko ousted two-term incumbent Kirk Sullivan, who earlier Saturday had been endorsed by Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter. The tally was 227-169.

A separate 199-192 vote among delegates in Sandpoint that supported retaining the state's open primary is indicative just how divided this convention was. That vote is a reversal from two years ago, when delegates at the 2006 convention in Idaho Falls overwhelmingly voted to close the GOP primary election.

As Semanko takes the reins, he'll have to figure out a way to manage libertarian-leaning Ron Paul supporters; social conservatives such as anti-abortion activist Bryan Fischer; and Rod Beck, the chief advocate for shuttering Idaho's GOP primary to Democrats and independents he blames for picking Republican candidates only lukewarm to party ideals.

Semanko, executive director of the Idaho Water Users Association, compared convention tension to rancor that surrounded the $90 million, 2005 pact between the state of Idaho and the Nez Perce tribe over water in the Snake River. Semanko helped negotiate that settlement which demanded concessions from industry, farmers and the tribe whose differences once seemed intractable.

"There is the same type of dynamic, where you have strong feelings on all side," he told reporters following his victory, of the primary issue. "This issue is crying out for leadership."

Asked whether the Republican Party would proceed with its federal lawsuit over the primary against Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, Semanko said he first planned to bring the sides together. The party's central committee meets again in October.

"You can't go from convention to convention, just hoping this is going to go away," Semanko said.

After losing, Sullivan told supporters he planned to largely withdraw from Idaho politics.

"They've elected a new chairman, he's got to be given time to bring all the factions together," Sullivan told The Associated Press. "And in the Republican Party, there are a lot of factions. The new chairman has got his task cut out for him. But I'm sure he's capable of doing it."

Otter did his best to rein in Semanko's support, but it wasn't enough.

"The time has come to pull together and not bleed into pink, but stay solidly red," Otter told delegates. "I believe it's been Kirk Sullivan's leadership, and I believe it's the leadership we've had in this party, that has made us the reddest of the red states."

The governor is traditionally the head of the party, but he couldn't hold back the wave of dissatisfaction with Sullivan that's been brewing for months. That gained momentum in the last two weeks, when Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna and U.S. Rep. Bill Sali defected and backed Semanko.

Supporters of Paul, the libertarian-leaning Texas congressman who suspended his presidential campaign this week, came to the convention with a vocal contingent.

For instance, when they succeeded in adding a provision to the state GOP platform demanding the Federal Reserve Bank be dissolved, some of the Paul loyalists screamed "Freedom."

Ryan Davidson, who has spearheaded three successful ballot initiatives in Hailey to legalize marijuana, said he didn't think Semanko would have beaten Sullivan if his group hadn't flexed its political muscles.

"I think it's a fair assumption to say we were critical," Davidson told the AP. "I was very excited that every race (for the executive committee) was contested. We either had our people running for those positions, or else non-establishment people whom we could support."

Davidson's group tried but couldn't stop a resolution that reaffirms the Idaho GOP's commitment to opposing marijuana legalization and supporting enforcement of drug laws.

Still, just the fact that the party in control of three-fourths of the 105 legislative seats, all seven statewide elected posts and the four congressional offices was debating pot laws at its biannual convention is a clear sign Semanko will be challenged to manage increasingly competing interests that aren't afraid of speaking up.

"There's a lot of passion out there," said Brad Hoaglun, a delegate from Ada County and chief of staff for the state controller's office. "As you saw, it explodes. People are fervent about their causes. It may be unmanageable at first, but it will become more so, over time. I think time and experience will allow people to realize what it takes to move folks and get things done."