‘Tea party’ favorite wins Idaho primary, besting GOP establishment recruit

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Chalk up another win for the ‘tea party’ movement -- and another embarrassment for the Republican establishment.

Tea party favorite and two-term state lawmaker Raul Labrador defeated Vaughn Ward, a Marine reservist heavily recruited by national Republicans, to win the GOP nomination in Idaho’s 1st Congressional District.

National Republicans had coached Ward and made him one of their first named recruits. He also had the backing of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

In November, Labrador will face conservative first-term Democrat Rep. Walt Minnick.

-- Associated Press