Eye On Boise

Candidate now says he never backed repeal of 17th Amendment

May 10, 2010 4:47 p.m. • 10 comments

After a week and a half of heavy criticism on editorial pages around Idaho for the idea of repealing the 17th Amendment - direct election of U.S. senators - one of two GOP congressional candidates who backed the idea now says he never did. “I’m not changing the position, I’m clarifying, would be a better way to put that,” said Vaughn Ward, who is running in the hotly contested GOP primary for a chance to challenge 1st District Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick. “I do not want to take away the power of people to elect senators,” Ward said Monday. “What I do support is amending the Constitution and adding a two-term limit for U.S. senators.”

Both Ward and his GOP primary opponent, state Rep. Raul Labrador, spoke in favor of repealing the 17th Amendment on statewide television on April 30, on the “Idaho Reports” program on Idaho Public Television. Both also answered “yes” in a Tea Party Boise survey that asked if they’d vote to repeal the amendment. The move is backed by some conservatives as a way to promote states’ rights by returning selection of U.S. senators to state legislatures. You can read my full story here at spokesman.com.

10 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

IdahoRed on May 10 at 5:32 p.m.
Listen to the T-Rex Kids sing the song they’ve been performing at the 10th Amendment rallies across the state of Idaho…. Click on link below picture of kids.
www.10thamendmentrally.com
spokelooneh on May 10 at 6:10 p.m.
I’m not sure which is worse, exploiting these kids like this or the idiotic jingoistic song they’re singing.
WildWest on May 10 at 6:41 p.m.
It always amazes me that the state of Idaho has so many low information citizens that only react to rhetoric and view opinion as a valid substitute for real world facts, idiots…..
fortboise on May 10 at 10:44 p.m.
Clarifying?! Nice try.

It’s a valuable sign when someone can admit a mistake and change his position.

But to deny you held a position that you said you did? And then come up with an equally indefensible alternative?

Pathetic. Ward is completely out of his league.
DCR on May 11 at 8:03 a.m.
Vaughn Ward must think we’re all stupid - we SAW and HEARD him express his support for repealing the 17th Amendment on TV! This is not a “clarification” of his position - it’s an insult to all Idahoans.
Sisyphus on May 11 at 9:31 a.m.
He’s a rookie. Not ready for prime time.
State_of_Idiots on May 11 at 12:13 p.m.
Repeal the 17th Amendment? Idaho is soooooo stuck in the past, it’s like the opposite parallel universe to Mr. Jefferson’s immortal warning about ignorance & freedom. (remember when Bob Geddes wanted to do away with 1 man 1 vote in 2007 to keep his cozy little district entact from his mill town HQ of Soda Springs?)

Given the choice between these 2 (typical) GOP dipsticks, I only hope I’m still around when Idaho’s chickens come home to roost after 35+ years of Rethuglican rule.
BobEly on May 11 at 1:38 p.m.
I’m inclined to vote for Ward in the primary to give Minnick an easier opponent in the general election. But, with the idiotic state of Idaho politics, Ward would get elected just because he has an R after his name.
moscow_minidoka on May 11 at 1:54 p.m.
@ BobEly: I’ve been facing the same dilemma.
Gary D Rhodes on May 12 at 9:44 a.m.
I suppose you could simply support the candidate that you think is the best according to your own criteria, rather than indulge in an under-handed attempt to manipulate the primary outcome of candidates you don’t have any intention to vote for under any circumstance.

Why not put your effort into positive support for your candidate, rather than always trying to tear someone down?