Still not sure who to vote for in the primary? Here are the Idaho Statesman’s endorsements
Here’s a recap of endorsements from the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board in select contested local, state and federal party primary races.
U.S. Senate, Democrats
Beating incumbent U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who won his second term in 2014 with 65% of the vote, is going to require an upset in deep-red Idaho. Risch doesn’t face a primary opponent in this election.
Democratic primary voters will consider which candidate to send into battle against the Republican mainstay in Idaho politics, and Paulette Jordan has a better chance of pulling off the upset than her Democratic primary opponent Jim Vandermaas, an earnest candidate who is a political newcomer.
Jordan gets the Idaho Statesman editorial board’s endorsement in the Democratic primary.
U.S. House of Representatives, Democrat
Rudy Soto has an impressive background: a veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard, a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation, congressional staffer in Washington, D.C., legislative director for the National Indian Gaming Association.
Born and raised in Nampa, Soto is the son of a Mexican immigrant and a first-generation college graduate.
Because of his prior work in Washington, his familiarity with the federal government, his positions on the issues and his proven ability to fund a competitive campaign, the Idaho Statesman editorial board endorses Soto in the Democratic primary for the U.S. House seat representing Idaho’s 1st Congressional District.
U.S. House of Representatives, 1st Congressional District, Republican
An interview with one of the candidates in this race was scheduled for after deadline for this editorial. A separate editorial in this primary will be published soon.
Idaho House of Representatives, District 11, Republican
Kirk Adams calls himself a “commonsense conservative.” Asked what that means to him, he said, first, he’s a Republican, not a libertarian. Second, it means listening to all sides of an issue and looking for solutions, no matter where they come from.
Adams is a conservative Republican who seeks to find common ground on the issues that matter the most to voters. He is just the kind of person we need in the Idaho Legislature.
Idaho House of Representatives, District 16, Democrat
Colin Nash has the background and experience to hit the ground running as a state legislator. His qualifications and his firm grasp of a wide range of issues that he would face earn him the Idaho Statesman editorial board’s endorsement in the Democratic primary for the Idaho House of Representatives in District 16.
Idaho Senate, District 17, Democrat
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.
Idaho House of Representatives, District 19, Democrat
Voters in state legislative District 19 have a good problem in trying to find a successor to Rep. Melissa Wintrow, who is running for state Senate.
Chris Mathias and Jeff Gabica offer viable candidacies in the Democratic primary for Idaho House of Representatives.
In this race, Mathias earns the endorsement of the Idaho Statesman editorial board.
Idaho House of Representatives, District 21, Republican
Voters in Idaho legislative District 21 in southwest Boise and south Meridian have a choice among three Republican House of Representatives candidates: Greg Ferch, Eli Hodson and Brenda Palmer.
The winner of the Republican primary will go on to face Libertarian candidate Lisa Adams in November. No Democrats filed for this race.
Greg Ferch earns the Idaho Statesman’s endorsement in the Republican primary. He proved himself to be the most knowledgeable on key issues, has the most relevant experience and is the most prepared to hold office and represent his constituents.
Ada County Commission, District 2, Republican
Republican voters in Ada County face a difficult decision in the primary for Ada County Commission in District 2.
Four candidates bring their own unique skill sets to the campaign, and three of the candidates have prior experience and qualifications for the job.
Teri Murrison stands out to the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board and earns our endorsement.
Murrison came across as thoughtful and reasonable with a balanced approach to her answers to the board’s questions about property taxes, the county budget, development and Expo Idaho. Based on that approach, we are confident that she would approach the job in the same careful, thoughtful manner.
Idaho House of Representatives, District 14, Republicans
The Idaho Statesman is not making an endorsement of either candidate in this Republican primary.
In a state legislative Republican primary race for Idaho House of Representatives in District 14 in western Ada County, the incumbent, Rep. Gayann DeMordaunt, R-Eagle, declined an invitation to interview with the board.
Her challenger, Josh Tanner, is active in the community, serving as an Eagle fire commissioner, but he showed a lack of understanding of what his job would be as a state legislator and did not have a clear grasp of all the issues.
He was unfamiliar with the high-profile bills in the most recent legislative session surrounding transgender athletes, identifying records or medical procedures. His top priority is transparency, which is a noble goal, but transparency is not the issue we would consider most lacking in DeMordaunt.
Tanner did rightly point out a need for impact fees for school districts, citing his experience with impact fees at the Eagle Fire Commission.
Tanner struggled to differentiate himself from DeMordaunt and couldn’t name any bills on which he disagreed with DeMordaunt.
A stronger candidate in this race could earn an endorsement over DeMordaunt, who last year sponsored a bill that would have made it nearly impossible for residents to put get an initiative on the ballot. She also voted this session for a dangerous bill that would have allowed a drug and alcohol treatment center for adults in north Idaho to also treat teens in the same center without a state license.
The winner of this primary will face in November Democratic candidate Shelley Brock, who is unopposed in the primary.
This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 4:00 AM.