The Board Is Set

The filing deadline for this year’s elections passed on Friday, so we now know all the candidates, more or less. There still might be a few surprises before the withdrawal deadline of March 29 — Rep. Mike Kingsley has already announced his withdrawal and retirement on Facebook — but we have a basic idea of the players. Now it’s time for the games to begin.

At the Gem State Chronicle, I want to give you as much information as possible for you to make informed decisions in this crucial primary election. Notwithstanding a few exceptions, I don’t intend to make outright endorsements this year, rather I will show you who is endorsed by whom, where each candidate is raising money, and for incumbents, their IFF, IACI, and ILA platform scores.

I’m calling it Primary Pulse and I am working on it as we speak. Feel free to check it out now and let me know if you have any suggestions. It will probably take me a few days to get all 167 candidates for Legislature added, and the earlier you make a suggestion the easier it will be to implement it.

I remember talking to Ted Hill more than two years ago, as he was running for state representative in my district. He called the primary campaign a basketball game in which all the players do their best, but in the end only one is going to win. I want to modify that metaphor today.

The primary is the tryouts, the combine, spring training. Voters like you and I are the scouts and coaches, trying to put the best possible team on the field. We want the strongest possible slate of conservative candidates to defeat the Democrats in November and then to enact good policy in the Legislature. To do that means we must often put personal feelings aside. There might be a player who is pretty good, and who has made some great plays in the past year or two. Perhaps he makes up for lower production on the field with a great personality that raises team morale. Nevertheless, if there’s an opportunity to upgrade his position with an absolute rock star rookie, then we as voters have to take it.

There are a couple of races like that this year.

For example, Rep. Wendy Horman has done reasonably well in District 32. As co-chair of JFAC, she was instrumental in enacting the new budgeting method that bring much more transparency to how the Legislature appropriates our money, and her debate in presenting the school choice tax credit bill was superb.

However, in Bryan Smith Idaho has a bona fide conservative rock star, one who would cause a legislative earthquake in the Capitol with his very presence.

Another such race is in District 35. Rep. Kevin Andrus has done a fine job, and I’ve been impressed with him every time he steps up to debate in issue. However, the thought of Chad Christensen returning to the Legislature is pretty darn exciting.

I hope you will find Primary Pulse valuable over the next two months as you not only decide who to vote for, but to whom you wish to donate your valuable time and money. The outcome of this primary could determine if Idaho continues down the moderate road of compromise and appeasement, or if it draws a hard line for conservative values. The future is in your hands.

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