Endorsement: Can incumbent keep Senate seat blue in purple Boise district? Our pick | Opinion
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2024 Election endorsements
The Idaho Statesman editorial board’s endorsements for Ada County Commission, state Legislature and U.S. House of Representatives in the 2024 general election.
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The District 15 race for Idaho Senate presents a rematch between incumbent Democratic Sen. Rick Just and Republican challenger Codi Galloway, who lost to Just in 2022 by only 327 votes, in a three-way race in which the Constitution Party candidate received 413 votes.
This purple district that represents West Boise between Chinden Boulevard and Interstate 84 promises another competitive race, and the voters have a stark choice.
Just is a moderate Democrat (as Idaho Democratic legislators have to be), while Galloway falls into that camp of knee-jerk legislators tackling imaginary culture war issues.
The Idaho Statesman endorses Rick Just for the state Senate seat in Idaho legislative District 15.
Galloway was evasive in her interview with this editorial board, failing to directly answer questions about a whole host of issues, including abortion, school vouchers and library books.
Instead, she speaks in generalities and catchphrases about “Idaho values,” “limited government” and “family values.”
But we shall know her by her attack ads.
Her campaign has sent negative attack ad mailers filled with simplistic dog whistle scare tactic language that claims Just is for illegal aliens, drug dealers and “woke values.”
The American Federation for Children, a conservative out-of-state dark money organization that is pushing for school vouchers, has been sending similar campaign mailers attacking Just.
These kinds of negative attack ads need to be eliminated from Idaho’s political landscape. And Idaho voters shouldn’t fall for them.
Galloway also scored a 100% from the ultra-conservative John Birch Society when she was a legislator.
As a testament to Just’s character, he also decries a negative attack ad mailer that was sent by Liberty Alliance attacking Galloway for allowing “runaway property taxes” and “record-high inflation.”
“I don’t like misrepresentations on my behalf,” Just wrote in an email. “I suppose you could ding her because she did nothing during her term about property taxes and inflation, but that’s a bit disingenuous. She couldn’t have done anything about inflation, and I wouldn’t expect a freshman legislator to be able to tackle property tax.”
We believe there is an opportunity for intelligent people to have an honest and reasonable debate about such issues as library book bans, abortion and gender-affirming care.
Unfortunately, for whatever reason, we were not able to have that discussion with Galloway.
She repeatedly said she wouldn’t get into specifics about the negative effects of Idaho’s strict abortion law when it came to exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother. But we know that when she was a legislator in 2021, Galloway voted in favor of a six-week abortion ban, and in 2022, she voted in favor of a horrific bounty law that allows rapists’ family members to sue doctors who perform an abortion.
She equated gender-affirming care with child abuse and argued that the library book ban and bounty bill is simply about pornography without providing any examples of pornography in an Idaho library.
Similarly, she couldn’t provide an example of an undocumented immigrant voting in an Idaho election, yet uses Just’s vote against the unnecessary constitutional amendment as fodder to claim that he’s in favor of “illegal aliens.”
Even though she said she favors “limited government,” she fails to see the hypocrisy of the state government prohibiting a family and their doctor from providing gender-affirming care to a transgender child.
Just vows to fight any proposal for school vouchers, education savings accounts or tax credits that divert public funds to private schools. Galloway would not answer specifically whether she would.
Just wants to keep the Legislature out of the doctor’s office when it comes to abortion, but at the very least, he wants to pass legislation that makes it clear that abortion would be allowed to protect the health of the mother.
His top three priorities are fighting against school vouchers, protecting public lands and reducing property taxes. These are the real issues facing Idahoans, not made-up scare tactics about DEI, transgender bathrooms and pornography in libraries.
Just is a common-sense, moderate legislator who works across the aisle to seek compromise and holds accountable legislators who bring bad bills forward.
Voters in District 15 should keep Just in the Senate.
This story was originally published October 17, 2024 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.
Why are endorsements unsigned?
Endorsements reflect the collective views of the Statesman’s editorial board — not just the opinion of one writer. Board members all discuss and contribute ideas to each endorsement editorial.
Do I have to vote for the candidate the Statesman endorses?
Of course not. An endorsement is just our recommendation based on the candidates’ backgrounds and their answers to editorial board questions.
Can I disagree with the Statesman’s endorsement?
Of course you can. We encourage voters to do their own research and choose the candidate who best represents your views.
Want your say?
Readers are encouraged to express their thoughts by submitting a letter to the editor. Click on “Submit a letter or opinion” at idahostatesman.com/opinion.
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