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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — First time Democratic candidate Nels Mitchell is running against Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, who is seeking a second six-year term.
Mitchell has sharply criticized the incumbent for being a career politician and exemplifying partisan politics.
"I'm running for Senate to replace a career politician with someone who will demonstrate Idaho values of honesty, responsibility and hard work," Mitchell said during an Oct. 6 debate, the only debate the two candidates participated in.
However, with more money and name recognition, Risch has held a strong lead throughout the campaign.
Risch has accused Mitchell of being a clone of President Barack Obama and suggesting he would represent California's values and not those of Idaho.
"I have every confidence he'll be an enthusiastic assistant to the president over these next 837 days. The choice is clear - we are two very different people," Risch said during thedebate.
Mitchell went to the University of Idaho's law school and practiced law in California while also working as a regional director for the Securities and Exchange Commission. He moved back to Boise in 2008.
Meanwhile, Risch —who is also an attorney— was a longtime state senator who went on to be Idaho's lieutenant governor as well as spending seven months as Idaho's governor.
Risch says he would like to serve several terms in the Senate, but Mitchell says he would serve just one term so that he could focus on the job and not getting re-elected.
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