Rep. Bill Sali, Republican (left) will face Walt Minnick, Democrat (right)

BOISE - Experts in reading the political tea leaves are putting a renewed focus on the race for Idaho’s first congressional district today.  And just like a story on woes at Tamarack Resort last week, an Idaho issue has landed on page three of the Wall Street Journal.

Reporter Justin Scheck examines the race between Republic incumbent Bill Sali and Democratic challenger Walt Minnick.  Sali is hoping to earn a second term in the U.S. House this fall, and the story focuses its lens squarely on him.

The Journal looks at a report from the non-partisan Cook Political Report that said the seat was safe just a month ago.  Now the seat has moved into the “contested” category according to the group.

The story rehashes several well-told Idaho political stories about Sali, including his run-ins with former Idaho House Speaker Bruce Newcomb. The story also mentions a threat by a fellow member of the Idaho Legislature to throw Sali out the window – however the Journal neglects to mention the threat came from Mike Simpson, who now serves with Sali in the U.S. House.

Sali is gaining support from national Republican leaders in the fight to keep his seat after a spring fundraising report showed Minnick more than $200,000 ahead in the fundraising game. 

Sali's name pops up in the story more than two dozen times, while Minnick is only mentioned a few times. The Journal does note Minnick's attempt to emphasize his credentials as a moderate politician with rural roots - his campaign even posted a video of the candidate skeet shooting on YouTube.

(Related: Read the Wall Street Journal story)