regex confusion -- not matching; think it should?

[Linda Walsh]

The trace looks aprolike this:
> > ./ifc#137(handle_bonding_ops)> (( 18>3 ))
> > ./ifc#138(handle_bonding_ops)> [[  mode=balance-rr 0 =~ 
    ^([a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9_]+)=(.+)[[:space:]]+[a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9_]+=.+.*$ ]]
> > ./ifc#142(handle_bonding_ops)> [[  mode=balance-rr 0 =~ 
> > ^([a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9_]+)=(.+)$ ]]
> > ./ifc#145(handle_bonding_ops)> break 

(#138 is all 1 line)
---- the source code looks like this:

  my id='[a-zA-Z][-a-zA-Z0-9_]+'
  while ((${#bond_ops}>3)); do
    if [[ $bond_ops =~ ^($id)=(.+)[[:space:]]+$id=.+.*$ ]]; then
      ...
    elif [[ "$bond_ops" =~ ^($id)=(.+)$ ]]; then
     ...
    else break; fi

---
I would think the 2nd match would match it, but no luck...
Note the 2nd source line has double quotes due to testing...
Originally it had no quotes, as I don't believe they are
necessary in this case.  Regardless, neither way matches.

So if not obvious, bond_ops has "mode=balance-rr 0" in it.

Thanks...