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Eye On Boise

Fulcher says he’ll run for governor again in 2018

Russ Fulcher
Russ Fulcher

Former state Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, told the Idaho Statesman today that he’s running for governor in 2018, going up against Lt. Gov. Brad Little in the GOP primary in a bid to succeed Gov. Butch Otter. He unsuccessfully challenged Otter in the GOP primary in 2014, and took 43.6 percent of the vote to Otter’s 51.4 percent.

I’ve received no announcement from Fulcher and he didn’t return my call just now; the Idaho Secretary of State’s office reports that as of 5 p.m. today, the only candidate who’s filed to launch a campaign for governor in 2018 is Little. When Fulcher announced his primary challenge to Otter in November of 2013, Fulcher flew around the state, making the announcement to supporters in Meridian, Coeur d’Alene and Idaho Falls.

A tea party favorite, Fulcher ran against Otter from the right; he was endorsed by current 1st District GOP Congressman Raul Labrador, who campaigned with him. 

Fulcher is in the commercial real estate business, and is a former Micron executive. A Meridian native, he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business from Boise State University. The Statesman’s report is online here. Fulcher, who during his last run decried Otter's "tepid leadership," told Statesman reporter Sven Berg that he plans to run a positive campaign stressing the “potential for Idaho.”

UPDATE: This evening, I received a news release from Fulcher saying he’s running. “Idaho’s economic growth is anemic, under-employment is more than 20%, Idahoans are among the lowest paid citizens in the nation, and nothing is being done to reduce our dependence on a broke, and broken, federal government,” he wrote. “Our message of empowerment, advancement and citizen-led state control over federal dependency - resonated loudly.  I am blessed with life experience that provides me with a wonderful vision for what Idaho CAN BE!” 



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