----State Sen. Ron Beitelspacher, D-Grangeville, has been targeted for defeat by a University of Idaho law school student who says Beitelspacher's conversion to the pro-choice side of the abortion issue puts him at odds with his district.
''He flip-flopped on his pro-life stance and he is now running unopposed and I think he has seriously misread his constituency,'' said 29-year-old Greg Dickison of Moscow.
Dickison's first task is to win 50 write-in votes on the Republican ballot in the May 22 primary. If he reaches that threshold, he will win the GOP nomination to challenge Beitelspacher for the Senate seat representing Nez Perce, Latah, Idaho, Lewis and Clearwater counties.
The write-in procedure applies only in cases of vacancy and no one filed to oppose Beitelspacher by the March 30 deadline.
Dickison was asked to run against Beitelspacher after Moscow conservative Doug Wilson declined a suggestion by Right to Life of Idaho to challenge the six-term Democrat. Initially, Dickison decided against challenging Beitelspacher.
''Well, I was weighing all the pros and cons of it, part of what it might do to job possibilities in the future,'' said Dickison, who graduates from law school next December. ''It basically came down to no obstacles so I decided to do it.''
This marks Dickison's debut in elective politics.
Although he had been a pro-life supporter throughout much of his legislative career, Beitelspacher this year embraced the pro-choice side of the issue. He voted against a National Right to Life Committee-backed bill designed to prohibit virtually all elective abortions in this state, which was later vetoed by Gov. Cecil D. Andrus.
''I think Idaho is definitely a pro-life state and especially because of the prominence Idaho got over (the bill) it is going to be a hot issue,'' Dickison said.
