Idaho legislative candidate’s ‘Sieg Heil’ comment draws criticism

A northern Idaho legislative candidate is taking flack just days before the election after making Nazi references about her opponent during a community forum in Moscow on Thursday.

Laurene Sorensen is the Democratic nominee in the 5th Legislative District House B race. She’s challenging two-term incumbent Rep. Caroline Nilsson Troy, R-Genesee.

Appearing with several other Democratic candidates, Sorensen took part in a forum sponsored by the Palouse Democratic Socialists of America. In a rambling, three-minute response to one question, she took shots at Idaho, Boise and faith groups, as well as criticizing Nilsson Troy.

After suggesting that greater diversity is needed in the Idaho Legislature, Sorensen noted that Nilsson Troy “starts all her stump speeches saying, ‘I was born here, I’m the fifth generation of my family to be landowners here, and the fourth generation to graduate from the University of Idaho.’ ”

“And I’m thinking, ‘Sieg Heil,’ ” Sorensen continued, with a laugh. “You know, there’s a birther thing going on here and we need to fight that.”

Sieg Heil, meaning “victory hail,” was a chant or greeting used in Nazi Germany, along with the Nazi salute. The birther conspiracy was stoked by opponents of President Barack Obama, who questioned whether he was actually born in America.

The Idaho Republican Party posted a video clip of Sorensen’s remark on YouTube, labeling it “Unhinged: Idaho Democrat Laurene Sorensen calls a faith group ‘xenophobic,’ her opponent a Nazi.”

When contacted Friday, Sorensen said the Nazi reference “was just plain dumb.”

“It was a very disrespectful and wrong thing to say,” she said. “That’s probably the most un-premeditated thing I’ve ever said. It’s not my normal form of discourse.”

Sorensen added that she has “respect and admiration” for Nilsson Troy and considers her a “very honorable woman.”

The question she responded to on the video clip had to do with economic conditions in northern Idaho and the sense that the regional concerns don’t receive a high priority in Boise.

Sorensen started her answer by recalling a line from an Elvis Costello song: “I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.”

“The first 13 years I was in Idaho, I’d read the paper and that’s how I felt,” she said. “I’m living in a punchline.”

Then she said a chance to live in Boise wasn’t her motivation for running for the Legislature.

“They’re a different country from us,” Sorensen said. “They have very much of a cultural model down there. They have a white male establishment. A lot of people are in a faith group that has a beautiful tradition of taking care of its own — but that leads to some xenophobia and lack of perspective. Not everyone has a community that will feed and clothe the needy among us.”

In explaining her comments Friday, Sorensen said she was “frustrated by my opponent hammering on her long generations being from Idaho farmers and landowners. It started to feel like a slight on those of us who chose to live here and take up service here.”

Her remarks come at a time of heightened public concern regarding negative political rhetoric and hate speech, and its potential to incite violence.

“I agree (with those concerns),” Sorensen said. “It was just plain dumb.”

Nilsson Troy said she hadn’t seen the video, but lots of people had called her about it.

“It sounds like it was more than just one thoughtless comment,” she said. “It’s sad to see this kind of behavior coming to Idaho. It’s unacceptable — and you don’t need to be a fifth-generation Idahoan to know that.”

Friday evening, Sorensen said she tried to contact Troy to apologize to her directly, but hadn’t been able to reach her. She left a voice message in case Nilsson Troy wants to discuss the issue.