Statesman endorses candidate to replace Idaho Sen. Maryanne Jordan in state Senate
Ali Rabe has all the makings of an effective Idaho state legislator.
A graduate of Middleton High School and The College of Idaho, Rabe earned a law degree from William & Mary Law School and is now the executive director of Jesse Tree, a nonprofit preventing eviction and homelessness for low-income families in the Treasure Valley.
With a rich background and diversity of experiences, coupled with strong roots that run deep in the Treasure Valley, Rabe earns the Idaho Statesman’s endorsement in the Democratic primary for Idaho Senate in District 17.
This is the seat currently held by Democrat Maryanne Jordan, who decided not to run for reelection after three terms. Jordan has endorsed Rabe.
Rabe’s opponent in the primary, Adriel Martinez, is a graduate of Nampa High and an Army veteran twice deployed. He has been politically active, running for Boise City Council in 2015 and Boise mayor last year. He holds a political science degree from Boise State and works for FedEx.
But he appears to be more interested in Boise city matters, particularly city spending and Boise property taxes, admirable pursuits but too narrow for a state legislator.
Rabe has a broader range of interests and familiarity with issues she’d be facing as a legislator.
One of her main goals is funding the Idaho Housing Trust Fund, coupled with reforming tenant-landlord laws.
As a legislator, she also wants to work on property taxes, including raising the homeowners exemption. Other priorities include raising teacher pay and resources for education, and reforming criminal justice, noting that she went to law school to be a public defender.
Rabe calls herself “a true Democrat,” citing support for such platform issues as gun control and gay marriage.
Martinez, meanwhile, labels himself “anti-establishment” and has a mix of political views, including some conservative positions, but said he’d form a progressive caucus within the party along the lines of Bernie Sanders. He’s a pro-gun Democrat, which he said would serve him well in the Republican-dominated Legislature. He also favors marijuana legalization, raising the minimum wage and protecting renters from predatory landlords.
Rabe said she’d work well in the Legislature, saying she grew up in a household in rural Canyon County with a Republican father and a Democratic mother, so “I learned to speak both languages,” she said.
She also said she would be eager to work across the aisle with Republican legislators to incorporate her ideas with theirs.
Both candidates gave low grades to the most recent session, citing such inflammatory distractions as the transgender bills while failing to solve more important issues, like property taxes.
On property taxes, Rabe said she favors raising the homeowners exemption and finding ways to stop the shift in property tax burden from commercial to residential. She said she’d also like to look at ways to reduce costs borne by counties and school districts because of underfunding from the state.
Rabe said she supports the ACLU’s Blueprint for Smart Justice, which lays out a plan for criminal justice reform with the goal of reducing Idaho’s high prison population. Such measures include sentencing alternatives to incarceration, mental health courts for juveniles, improving access to housing for those released from prison, improving the public defender system, eliminating mandatory minimums, and reforming the parole and probation system to reduce Idaho’s high recidivism rates.
Martinez has shown himself to be knowledgeable about issues and has a good familiarity with the legislative process. For the issues he’s most focused on, though, Martinez would be a better candidate in a Boise city race.
Rabe earns our endorsement for her ability to work with both sides, her focus on things that she can accomplish as a Democrat in the Legislature and her experience in a wide range of issues, including housing and criminal justice.
This story was originally published May 7, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we write endorsements
Who decides the endorsements?
Members of Idaho Statesman editorial board interview political candidates, as well as advocates and opponents of ballot measures. The editorial board is composed of journalists and community members. Members of the Statesman editorial board are: Statesman editor Chadd Cripe, opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser and community members John Hess, Debbie McCormick and Julie Yamamoto.
What does the endorsement process entail?
The Statesman editorial board meets with political candidates and asks them a series of questions about policy issues. The editorial board discusses the candidates in each race. Board members seek to reach a consensus on the endorsements, but not every decision is unanimous. The editorial board generally will not endorse a candidate who does not agree to an interview with the board members.
Is the editorial board partisan?
No. In making endorsements, members of the editorial board consider which candidates are well-prepared to represent their constituents — not whether they belong to a particular political party. We evaluate candidates’ relevant experience, their readiness for office, their depth of knowledge of key issues and their understanding of public policy. We’re seeking candidates who are thoughtful and who offer more than just party-line talking points. The editorial board will endorse both Republicans and Democrats. We make recommendations about who the best-qualified candidates for these jobs are.
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