C. L. Otter
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Image:Butchotter.jpg Clement Leroy "Butch" Otter, (born May 3, 1942 in Caldwell, Idaho), is an American Republican politician from Idaho. He is a former lieutenant governor of Idaho (1987-2001) and has represented the state's 1st Congressional District (map) in the United States House of Representatives since 2001. The district, located in the northern and western part of the state, includes most of the Boise metropolitan area. It also includes Lewiston and Coeur d'Alene. Otter is not running for reelection to the House in 2006, instead running for governor of Idaho.
Otter earned his B.A. in political science from the College of Idaho (now known as Albertson College of Idaho) in 1967. He served the Idaho Army National Guard's 116th Armored Cavalry from 1968 to 1973. He received specialized training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Otter's business experience includes spending 30 years with Simplot International, a potato, livestock and feeding operation. He eventually rose to that company's presidency.
Otter's first bid for elective office was in 1972 when he was elected a member of the Idaho State House of Representatives from Canyon County. He returned to private life in 1977. Otter remained active in the Idaho Republican Party, holding several state and county positions.
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Lieutenant Governor
In 1986, Otter returned to politics and was elected lieutenant governor of Idaho. He was re-elected in 1990, 1994 and 1998. He served under three different governors, Democrat Cecil Andrus, and Republicans Phil Batt and Dirk Kempthorne. In 1991, when the Idaho Senate was evenly divided between 21 Republicans and 21 Democrats, Otter's tie-breaking votes kept the body under Republican control. Otter left the post midway through his fourth term in 2001 to take his congressional seat. He is the longest-serving lieutenant governor in Idaho history.
Congressman
First District Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth-Hage had promised to serve only three terms in the House when first elected in the Republican wave of 1994, and kept that pledge in 2000 even after calling term limits "bad policy." Otter handily won the Republican primary, capitalizing on his name recognition as lieutenant governor. He breezed to victory in the November general election. He was re-elected in 2002 and 2004 with no substantive opposition.
In Congress, Otter has been largely conservative with a slight libertarian streak, as reflected in his opposition to the Patriot Act. He was one of three Republicans (along with Bob Ney of Ohio and Ron Paul of Texas) to vote against the act in 2001. He has also been very critical of the Bush Administration's domestic spying efforts. He has served as a deputy majority whip for most of his time in Congress despite his opposition to many key Bush Administration policies.
2006 Election
On December 15, 2004, Otter announced his candidacy for the gubernatoral seat in 2006. Otter will face three opponents in the Republican primary, but is widely considered to be the favorite in both the primary and general election.
2002 gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brady is favored to win the Democratic primary. That year Brady was defeated 56% to 42% by Kempthorne.
DUI
In 1992 Otter was pulled over on Interstate 84 near Meridian for suspicion of driving under the influence. He claimed the arresting officer observed him swerving was he was reaching for his cowboy hat, which had been blown off by the wind in his open car.
Otter offered several excuses for failing the field sobriety test including: his stocking feet were stung by weeds and gravel, he had run eight miles and his knee hurt, he was hungry, and that he had soaked his chewing tobacco in Jack Daniels.
A jury convicted Otter in 1993. He was sentenced to 72 hours of community service and 16 hours at an alcohol treatment program. This incident allegedly forced Otter to abandon an anticipated run for governor in 1994 and instead seek re-election for lieutenant governor.
Although Otter himself has not had any further DUI arrests, the conviction became news again in February 2005 after the DUI arrest of his former campaign manager, Jason Lehosit.
Politically the incident has not had a serious impact on Otter's career, but some believe he may still be vulnerable in socially conservative Eastern Idaho because of it. Otter has not been on the ballot in Eastern Idaho since his last lieutenant gubernatorial race in 1998.
Otter on the Issues
Otter's evaluation on the issues by various groups:
Rated 17% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes. (Dec 2003)
Rated 11% by APHA, indicating an anti-public health voting record. (Dec 2003)
Rated 10% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record. (Dec 2003)
Rated 5% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes. (Dec 2003)
Rated 33% by SANE, indicating a mixed record on military issues. (Dec 2003)
Rated 20% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
Rated 67% by CATO, indicating a pro-free trade voting record. (Dec 2002)
Rated 71% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes. (Dec 2003)
Rated 0% by the AFL-CIO, indicating an anti-labor voting record. (Dec 2003)
Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration. (Dec 2003)
Rated 97% by the US COC, indicating a pro-business voting record. (Dec 2003)
Rated 92% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record. (Dec 2003)
(source: http://www.issues2000.org/)