Keith Allred has had a pretty good couple of months leading up to his 80-plus percent win in the Democratic primary.
He's gained on Gov. Butch Otter in some polls. He's raised more campaign money than Otter.
Even the bad stuff has worked out for him.
An attack ad funded by a coalition of the state's largest industries underscored Allred's message that he's taking on special interests - and showed they consider him a threat.
"We've closed 10 percent in seven weeks (in polls)," said the Harvard professor and former executive director of the nonpartisan group The Common Interest. "At that pace it's a dead heat by early September."
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/06/01/1212903/allred-courts-the-moderates.html