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Related Coverage, Page 4
New district gets state-funded mailing
Kris Sabo, of Sagle, was surprised when an official state-funded letter arrived in the mail from Idaho Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood, talking about Nuxoll’s record and thanking supporters as she seeks re-election. “My gosh, she’s from Cottonwood – where the heck is that?” Sabo asked. “If she’s using our money to help her campaign to keep her job, that shows disrespect for our money. Nobody’s going to pay for me to go out and try to keep my job.”
Idaho senator sends state-funded letter to new district
Kris Sabo of Sagle was surprised when an official state-funded letter arrived in the mail from Idaho Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood, talking about Nuxoll’s record and thanking supporters as she seeks re-election. “My gosh, she’s from Cottonwood – where the heck is that?” Sabo asked. Sabo currently is in Idaho’s legislative District 2, one of the North Idaho Panhandle legislative districts. But redistricting in Idaho will put her in the new District 7 next year, which stretches from southeastern Bonner County all the way south to the Valley County line at the mid-section of the state; Cottonwood is nearly a four-hour drive south of Sagle.
Idaho Senate hopeful touts ethics pledge
Politics are heating up in North Idaho. Former state Sen. Mike Jorgenson, who’s running for the Senate seat he lost two years ago to an ally of tax-protesting Rep. Phil Hart, is asking GOP candidates in Legislative District 2 to join him in signing a pledge that they will “obey the law, honor Idaho courts and pay my taxes.” Jorgenson calls it the “Republican Principle Pledge” and openly acknowledges it’s designed to rally Republican voters embarrassed by Hart’s continuing legal battles over unpaid state and federal taxes.
Idaho candidate pushes tax-paying pledge
Former Idaho Sen. Mike Jorgenson, who’s running again for the Senate seat he lost two years ago to an ally of tax-protesting Rep. Phil Hart, has signed and sent to all District 2 GOP candidates a “Republican Principle Pledge” pledging to “obey the law, honor Idaho courts and pay my taxes.”
Winner will be a Republican
It’s winner-take-office for the Kootenai County Commission candidates in the May 15 primary. There are no Democrats or third-party candidates vying for the office that oversees a wide variety of functions, including land-use decisions, solid waste treatment and property tax assessment appeals.
Republican newcomers vying for CdA seat
With fourth-term Republican Rep. Marge Chadderdon of Coeur d’Alene stepping down, the only contested race in the primary for Idaho’s legislative District 4 this year is between the two young Republicans vying for a shot at replacing her. Chadderdon has endorsed Luke Malek, 30, a local attorney and business consultant who rose to prominence in political circles when then-Gov. Jim Risch named him his North Idaho regional director, heading up the state’s first North Idaho governor’s office.
Idaho’s District 3 drawing challenges in GOP
For the last two elections, one North Idaho legislative district saw few contested races, as popular incumbents were repeatedly re-elected. This year is different, with fourth-term Republican Rep. Frank Henderson facing a challenge in the May 15 primary, and two newcomers facing off for the open seat that Rep. Bob Nonini is leaving to run for the state Senate. “Had I not run … we would have given an incumbent his third straight term without opposition, and I find that to be un-American,” said Jack Schroeder, 73, Henderson’s primary challenger. “At least they know there’s another alternative, and there’s another person who’s willing to go out there and fight for what he thinks is right, just like Frank has done for all these years.”
Three Idaho Republicans challenging Hart in race
Tax-protesting state Rep. Phil Hart may be the most controversial lawmaker in North Idaho, and his re-election bid for a fifth term in the state House has drawn a bevy of challengers in the May 15 GOP primary. It’s a far cry from the last election, in which Hart was unopposed both in the primary and on the general election ballot. But an unprecedented 20 percent of the vote went to a write-in challenger in the general election in 2010, after news broke about Hart’s court fights over back taxes and a 1996 timber theft case. He subsequently lost his seat on the House tax committee and gave up a vice chairmanship on the Transportation Committee to avoid House ethics sanctions.
Labrador way ahead in campaign cash
North Idaho’s freshman GOP congressman Raul Labrador has geared up his re-election campaign, according to the latest campaign finance reports, while his prospective opponents haven’t. Labrador’s pulling in PAC money and donations from prominent Idahoans, while his little-known GOP primary opponent hasn’t raised a penny; nor has the Libertarian, the Independent, or one of the two Democratic hopefuls, the reports show.
Labrador gears up campaign, rivals lag
North Idaho’s freshman GOP congressman Raul Labrador has geared up his re-election campaign, according to the latest campaign finance reports, while his prospective opponents haven’t. Labrador’s pulling in PAC money and donations from prominent Idahoans, while his little-known GOP primary opponent hasn’t raised a penny; nor has the Libertarian, the Independent, or one of the two Democratic hopefuls, the reports show.