One of the core principles of Republican strategist Karl Rove is supposed to be: Hit ‘em not where they’re weakest, but where they’re strongest. Undermine their core strength, amd they’re in trouble.

In the Idaho 1st district race, Republican Bill Sali keeps doing it to himself.

Sali’s core strength is supposed to be that he is an absolutist, rigorously pure of ideology – a black/white guy, no shades of gray at all.

Now comes a ballot issue on which Idaho voters will have to decide next week – an important one, on land use policy, Proposition 2 – and polls make clear that most Idahoans have figured out what they think. (Last weekend’s Idaho Statesman/KIVI-TV poll shows the margin between favor/disfavor as close.) Elected officials and candidates have let loose their thoughts, as have just about all of the candidates for office.

Bill Sali apparently can’t decide.

He told the Statesman that “it’s one of the most complicated things I’ve read in my life.” Too complicated for him but not for hundreds of thousands of Idaho voters and every other candidate on the ballot? (His opponent, Democrat Larry Grant, is in opposition.)

That lack of a position appears to obtain even though, as Prop 2 manager Laird Maxwell correctly notes, Sali has not protested Maxwell’s listing of him as a Prop 2 backer on the initiative’s web site.

Could the fact that some of Sali’s key out of state backers support the measure have anything to do with his indecision?

We noted this pecuiarity several weeks ago, assuming it would be clarified before now. With a week left before the election, looks as if Sali may remain the fuzzy candidate clear to the end. (If that should change, we’ll post to that effect.)