Idaho House speaker to run for lieutenant governor, with ex-governor’s support
Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke wants to be the next lieutenant governor.
The Oakley Republican filed his candidacy with the Secretary of State’s Office, about a week after Rep. Priscilla Giddings entered the race. Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who is running for governor, will leave her seat at the end of her term in 2022.
“I’m the only candidate in this race who has tested and trusted experience to get things done for Idaho,” Bedke said, announcing his campaign in the Rotunda on the second floor of the Capitol.
Speaking with a backdrop that included a small group of about 10 protesters — holding signs for Giddings and criticizing Bedke — Bedke promised to preserve Idaho values as a “constitutional conservative” and said he would bring his experience from the Legislature into the executive office.
“I feel like I have something to contribute, and I want to do that,” Bedke told the Statesman in an interview Thursday.
Former Gov. Butch Otter introduced Bedke at his campaign announcement Thursday, calling him a fierce defender against big government and a trusted leader.
A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bedke painted a picture of his fourth-generation family cattle ranch steeped in family values and faith.
Bedke, a ninth-term state representative and House speaker since December 2012, enters a competitive race of Republicans for the GOP primary in May 2022. Luke Malek, an attorney and former House member from Coeur d’Alene, and Giddings, a hard-liner from White Bird, are also running for lieutenant governor.
Bedke led the House through a controversial session this year. The longest session in Idaho history included a two-week recess because of a COVID-19 outbreak in the House, an ethics investigation against a Lewiston House member over a sexual assault allegation that prompted him to resign, and battles over the governor’s executive powers during times of emergency.
On the last day of the session, the Senate voted to adjourn for the rest of the year, while the House voted to recess — potentially setting up a legal battle if the House tries to reconvene and force the Senate back into session.
“I made it very clear earlier that it would only be under the most extraordinary circumstances that we would come back into session,” Bedke said.
Bedke previously served in public office on the Oakley City Council. He is a former president of the Idaho Cattle Association and former director of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
He said he would request to play a prominent role in Idaho’s water infrastructure and touted his previous negotiations in the state’s water disputes.
Education ‘very important to the Bedke family’
Bedke said he was proud of his actions in the Legislature, which he said are cutting taxes, eliminating “red tape” and investing in roads and bridges. But there was still “more work to do,” particularly for K-12 schools, he said.
“Education has always been very important to the Bedke family,” Bedke said.
In an interview with the Statesman, Bedke said he wants to make sure Idaho students are reading at grade level by the end of the third grade. But he fell short of supporting providing full-day kindergarten at the state level, saying he instead supports more general investment in schools and allowing local control to determine where that funding goes.
“Whatever fits in your area, you locals, you know what the problems are. Here’s some extra resources to help work on those problems,” Bedke said. “And I think that’s the best way. Because one-size-fits-all in a diverse state like Idaho rarely works well.”
The House this session struggled to pass education budgets and federal funding for education — ultimately rejecting $6 million in federal funding for early childhood education and $40.3 million in federal funding for COVID-19 testing in schools.
A House bill was eventually negotiated to get past the logjam. The bill, which educators said would have a chilling effect on teaching aspects of race or U.S. history, condemned parts of what legislators called “critical race theory” — an evolving theory that historical racism continues to impact the present.
The legislation was a compromise with hard-line conservatives, including Giddings, who said they feared “indoctrination” and a “social justice” agenda in public schools.
McGeachin started a task force on examining “indoctrination” in schools, with Giddings as co-chair. Idaho state education officials have said there is no evidence to suggest indoctrination is happening in schools.
In a question about whether Bedke felt he pushed back enough on far-right conservatives’ demands, Bedke said he felt his role in the Legislature was to find a compromise among legislators chosen by their districts to represent them.
“I don’t see my job as pushing back various interests,” Bedke told the Statesman. “My job is more to bring everybody together and find some solution that can work for everybody, not just one group.”
In a statement Thursday, Giddings blamed Bedke for stalling legislation to cut grocery taxes. Giddings said Idaho residents are looking for a lieutenant governor “who will fight for them, not the special interests.”
“I welcome Scott Bedke to the race. As House speaker, he has single-handedly kept the grocery tax alive. With his departure from the House, Idahoans may finally get grocery tax relief,” Giddings said. “Sadly, both Speaker Bedke and lawyer Luke Malek have a long track record of championing policies which harm small businesses, damage our schools, and which can hurt real people.”
Bedke, Giddings clash over ethics investigation against von Ehlinger
Bedke led the charge against former Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, a Lewiston legislator who was accused of sexual assault by a 19-year-old intern. House majority leaders brought the ethics complaint against von Ehlinger to the House ethics committee.
After a public hearing, the committee members unanimously recommended that von Ehlinger be expelled from the House. Von Ehlinger resigned before the House could vote on it.
Sexual assault survivor advocates have called for an ethics investigation against Giddings over her actions. When the allegation became public, Giddings shared personal identifying information of the accuser, who had been kept anonymous by the committee and was referred to as “Jane Doe” throughout the ethics hearing.
Giddings has criticized Bedke and House Republican leaders over bringing the complaint forward and called the investigation a “liberal smear campaign.”
Bedke has said the process was transparent and fair, and criticized those who defended von Ehlinger’s actions.
Any complaints brought to the House ethics committee remain confidential unless committee members find probable cause into the complaint. Bedke on Thursday declined to comment on whether he wants to see an ethics investigation into Giddings’ actions.
“But if you think that we’re not appalled by the doxxing and making light of the whole thing, then you’d be wrong,” Bedke said.
Bedke said his relationship with Giddings has been cordial. He said he regarded Malek as a friend who helped elect him as House speaker in 2012, but that he wants to give Idaho residents a choice.
Malek told the Statesman on Thursday that he believes he’ll be more focused on education and workforce development.
”I think we probably have different visions for how this office is going to be utilized for the people of Idaho, and that’ll all be fleshed out over the next year,” Malek said.
Idaho is “at a crossroads,” Bedke said, as one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S. As Idaho faces growing pains, he said he’s well-equipped to handle the state’s tough issues — such as natural resources and tax policy.
He said he’s not concerned about whether he might split conservative votes with Malek, giving Giddings a foothold. He said he has a strong campaign and track record.
“I think this story has a happy ending,” Bedke said.
This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 10:05 AM.
