Butch Otter won the governor's seat in 2006. Shortly after winning re-election to the U.S. House in 2004, Otter announced he would run for Gov. Dirk Kempthorne's seat — an early signal that successfully discouraged Lt. Gov. Jim Risch from joining in what political observers thought would have otherwise been an expensive and competitive GOP gubernatorial primary. Risch eventually spent seven months as interim governor when Kempthorne was named by President Bush as his Interior secretary; Otter took over in 2007 after beating Democratic challenger Jerry M. Brady the previous November with nearly 53 percent of the vote.

Otter previously served in the Idaho House of Representatives 1972 to 1976. He finished third in a six-way 1978 GOP primary race for governor.

He considered but decided against running for the 1st District seat in Congress in 1980 when then-U.S. Rep. Steve Symms, a close friend, ran for the U.S. Senate.

He was elected lieutenant governor in 1986, narrowly defeating then-state Treasurer Marjorie Ruth Moon.

He was re-elected in 1990, 1994 and 1998.

Otter first won a U.S. House seat in 2000, earning 65 percent of the vote.

He was re-elected in 2002 with 59 percent. He won again in 2004, defeating Democrat Naomi Preston with 70 percent of the vote.

(Last updated by Todd Dvorak on April 10, 2009.)

Mike Crapo was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998, defeating Democrat Bill Mauk with nearly 70 percent of the vote. The seat opened up when incumbent Dirk Kempthorne ran successfully for governor.

Democrats failed to put up a challenger against Crapo in the 2004 Senate race, effectively conceding the race. Jerome businessman Scott McClure launched a late write-in campaign, but Crapo won 99 percent of the vote for his second term.

Crapo launched his political career in 1984, winning a seat in the state Senate that had been expanded from 35 to 42 members through reapportionment.

He was re-elected in 1986 and served as Republican floor leader before being elected president pro temp in 1988 and again in 1990.

He was elected to the U.S. House in 1992 with 63 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat J.D. Williams and two other candidates.

He was re-elected in 1994 with 75 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Penny Fletcher. In 1996, Crapo was re-elected with 69 percent of the vote against Democrat John Seidl.

(Last updated by Todd Dvorak on April 13, 2009.)

Jim Risch announced his campaign Oct. 9, 2007 surrounded by members of the Republican establishment, including U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter and state GOP Chairman Kirk Sullivan. It was a sign the state's dominant party wanted one of its mainstays to replace Craig, who chose not to seek re-election after his arrest in a Minnesota airport bathroom gay sex sting.

Risch managed to keep the party in Republican hands in the 2008 election when he defeated Democratic challenger Larry LaRocco with 58 percent of the vote.

Prior to his election to the Senate, Risch served three terms as lieutenant governor. In 2006, he was appointed governor after Dirk Kempthorne was elevated to U.S. Interior secretary by President Bush.

Risch was elected in 1970 as Ada County prosecuting attorney. He then spent more than 20 years in the Idaho Senate, though he lost his 1988 race to a Democrat, succumbed again in the 1994 GOP primary, and only returned in 1995 after being appointed by Gov. Phil Batt.

(Last updated by Todd Dvorak on April 13, 2009.)