Even the most reliably Republican corners of Cascadia appear in flux this year, with the outcome of a statewide election in Idaho apparently in doubt for the first time since the early 1990s, according to a poll by the Idaho Statesman and a Boise TV station.

Races for governor, a congressional seat and school superintendent are basically tied. Democrats haven’t won an Idaho governor’s race since 1990 or a seat in Congress since 1992. But the paper reports that this year could be different:

“At this point in a typical campaign, Idaho Democrats are dispirited and looking for moral victories,” said Jim Weatherby, a political scientist who has overseen polling at Boise State University. “This time, it looks like they may actually pull off some major victories.”

The election is still nine days away, however. The Sunday Los Angeles Times has an excellent piece on Karl Rove’s plans to juice Republican chances and make sure any Democratic gains can be rolled back in 2008. The GOP plans to reenergize conservatives who may be flagging, make sure the party’s campaign apparatus is functioning efficiently and put the resources of the federal government to use.