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Republicans call for unity after Idaho shakeup

By WTOP Staff

KIMBERLEE KRUESI
Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — To win the Idaho Republican Party primary and secure his position as the favorite to retain the state’s top job, Gov. Butch Otter had to overcome a challenge from the far right — and the far out — that had the state GOP calling for unity Wednesday.

State Sen. Russ Fulcher came “surprisingly close” to defeating the two-term incumbent by courting conservative voters who thought their principles were being compromised, said David Adler, director of the Andrus Center for Public Policy at Boise State University.

The election — which gained national attention from a debate that featured longshot candidates who discussed Armageddon and bigoted jokes — was one of several that showed how deep the rifts in the state’s Republican Party have grown in recent years. All but one of the five mainstream GOP legislative candidates endorsed by Otter lost to conservatives aligned with Fulcher.

A day after Otter’s victory, leading Idaho Republicans stood on the steps of the capitol and proclaimed their commitment to uniting the party heading into the November general election and beyond.

“It is time for us to come back together as a party,” said former House Speaker Lawerence Denney, who won the GOP primary for secretary of state.

“We can disagree on very, very few issues,” he said. “But we can disagree and still agree on the majority of things.”

Denney, who has served in the statehouse for nearly 20 years, was favored by tea party activists and promised to focus on taking control of Idaho’s federally managed public lands — a pledge that establishment candidates considered impractical.

“This election suggests the tea party exerted quite a bit of influence,” Adler said. “They almost defeated a gubernatorial incumbent.”

Conservatives also won primaries for legislative seats in northern Idaho, most notably ousting Sen. John Goedde, the Senate education chairman, and Sen. George Eskridge, a seven-term lawmaker, from office.

This momentum could shift the state party even further to the right, going more conservative on a range of issues from abortion to taxes. It also calls into question how effectively Otter will be able to lead from his mainstream position.

“The intent of this campaign by this establishment was to take back the party that they have gradually lost control of since 2008,” political analyst Jim Weatherby said. He added that the state party will be shaped by local officials, not just the governor.

Otter won 51 percent of the GOP primary vote, with Fulcher carrying 44 percent. Fringe contenders Harley Brown and Walt Bayes captured 5 percent between them after taking attention away from Otter and Fulcher and drawing a widespread audience online with their unconventional positions and statements.

Brown shunned political correctness as “bondage” and bragged about his love of insensitive jokes that “hit everybody.” Bayes, for his part, called the federal government, “a bunch of Eastern idiots” and said the Supreme Court was “going to hell.”

Otter had insisted on the participation of Brown and Bayes. Fulcher, however, said it was a political stunt.

The governor will face Democrat A.J. Balukoff in November. Balukoff won his primary with more than 65 percent of the Democratic vote.

“Gov. Otter’s narrow primary win over a relatively unknown, extremist opponent affirms what I’ve been hearing as I travel all over Idaho,” Balukoff said in a statement. “People like Butch well enough personally, but after almost 40 years as a career politician, it’s time for him to retire to his ranch.”

Balukoff hopes to seize on the GOP rift, but he’ll have challenges prevailing in a state that hasn’t elected a Democratic governor in nearly 20 years and where nearly every statewide office is held by a Republican.

Otter also received a boost from the upstart movement that threatened his post: Fulcher announced his support for the governor at Wednesday’s press conference.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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