With Idaho's enormous potential for solar and geothermal energy, it's no wonder that Minnick supports tax incentives for renewable energy usage and development. He believes that the current tax subsidies made to appease "Big Oil" should be transferred to individuals looking to utilize renewable energies in their businesses and develop the technologies further.

Minnick:"I think [biofuels] are the key to economic development are the key to economic development in the rural part of Idaho...because we have all kinds of agricultural bi-products."

Congressman Bill Sali(R) faces strong opposition from members of his own party in his bid for reelection to Idaho's 1st Congressional District. Having served for 16 years, Sali faced strong opposition in the Republican primary, defeating 5 other candidates with only 26 percent of the vote.

One major factor is the support Sali has from the Club for Growth, an anti-tax group that has financed him with more the $300,000. He also pushed centrists away with his support to place the Ten Commandments in Boise park and refusing to compromise on abortion laws.

His stances have gone so far as Bruce Newcomb, former Republican Idaho House Speaker, to call him “an absolute idiot.”

The Cook Report, a bipartisan political news source, has changed it's opinion regarding the leader of the race for 1st district from Sali to Minnick. This sudden turn is due in part to the recent criticism Sali has been facing for pressuring some of his own party members to drop out of the race for Senate and trying to boost his financially weak campaign by holding yard sales.

Disturbed, many moderate Republicans have begun to rally around Minnick, including Republican activists and state officials who like what he has to say with regard to tax cuts and children's health care. Jerry Evans, a Republican and superintendent of Idaho schools says, “As I listen to [Minnick] talk about children’s health issues and public school issues and balancing the federal budget and doing some things for the middle class with regard to tax cuts, he just kind of lines up with what I think we ought to be doing."

As someone named the "Defender of Economic Freedom" by the Club for Growth this year, one would think that Bill Sali would be supportive of, or at least attentive to, any and all House meetings regarding possibilities to end said crisis.

However, Sali's 2008 voting record would suggest otherwise. Recently, Sali voted against HR 5818 which requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make loans to states attempting to end skyrocketing mortgage rates by buying up foreclosed housing to prevent further economic decline.

Sali also missed an important meeting last week with the Housing Oversight Committee of which he is a member, to discuss "CEO pay and the mortgage crisis". Is Sali avoiding discussing his views on the issue of economic stability, or could it be that his political allegiance doesn't mix with progress?

In order to help recovering timber communities cope with federal subsidies on land, Minnick supports the reauthorization of the Craig-Wyden Act which was introduced in 2000. The act is designed to help towns struggling from the economic loss of the timber industry pull-out.

Minnick hopes that by reinstating the act, which in expired in 2006, to pay for schools and roads through a multi-year government contract, the economy will be revived through new industry, not just temporary installments.

Recently, the Republican party both at the congressional and presidential levels has come under fire for negative ads misleading voters with biased information against their opponents.

A recent ad by Sali featuring negative information and false attacks on Minnick was recently pulled by the Sali campaign after the FCC acknowledged it's violation of the regulations. Because the ad made a direct reference to Minnick and did not feature Sali's image for the appropriated four seconds required to make a political ad legitimate, Sali's campaign managers pulled the ad to avoid further reprimands.

The spokesperson for Minnick's campaign released the following statement:

“This is yet another part of the pattern of Bill Sali’s ineffectiveness and incompetence. He is not following the simple laws governing his congressional office and his campaign. He spends almost $4,000 per month in taxpayer dollars to keep a swanky campaign office outside his district, he knowingly files false campaign finance reports and he refuses to pay off more than $125,000 in debt from his last campaign. Bill Sali must be held accountable for his violations of the law.”

With Red states turning Blue as the public becomes aware of McCain's economic policy which favors the wealthy and fear for the next steps abroad in Iran with regard to foreign policy, Idahoan Republicans are beginning to take a closer look at Sali and see the failed policies of the current administration reflected in him at home.

His recent confrontations in Washington with his colleagues and iffy spending habits are starting to turn many Republicans off. Five such members have turned to Minnick to make their voices heard, choosing to do what they feel is right for the betterment of the nation instead of following party lines.