Story Created: Nov 5, 2008 at 12:02 AM MDT
Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 6:06 AM MDT
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks during a rally with supporters on election night in Phoenix, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008.
McCain was leading Obama in early returns. Across the country, however, Obama built an insurmountable Electoral College advantage to become the first black U.S. president. McCain conceded the race before midnight Tuesday.
McCain, long seen as a GOP moderate, likely lured conservative Idaho voters by choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a Sandpoint native and University of Idaho graduate, as his running mate.
"Having Sarah Palin on the ticket ... has definitely upped the enthusiasm for Republicans to get up and work," said Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko Tuesday.
Still, McCain wasn't the top choice for many Republicans in Idaho, where The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints is the state's largest religion by membership and Mormon Mitt Romney led presidential fundraising.
In 2007, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter said publicly McCain wasn't his first choice, and the Arizona U.S. senator's stance on tariffs that help protect Idaho sugar beet farmers and his moderate views on immigration dented enthusiasm here. McCain didn't visit Idaho before the general election.
"We've had a lot of surrogates," Semanko said. And "a lot of people went across the border to see Palin last night in Reno. But it's always nice to have that kind of attention from the candidates and I hope we see more of it in the future."
Obama had visited Idaho in February before overwhelmingly winning the state's Democratic caucuses.
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