October 17, 2004 in Idaho

Preston, businesswoman challenging Otter, unafraid of taking on establishment

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Preston
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BOISE – Naomi Preston, the Democratic newcomer who’s running against two-term Rep. Butch Otter, says Idaho voters are telling her that their top issues are jobs and the economy, education and health care.

On those issues, she said of Otter, “I think his record is remiss. I don’t think Idahoans are better off in the last two years, and in fact I think they’re worse off.”

But the businesswoman from Eagle also agrees with Otter on several major points of his legislative record – support for amending the USA Patriot Act to scale back key provisions that Otter says infringe on constitutional rights, restricting U.S. aid to Palestinians if terrorist attacks on Israel continue, and opening up trade and travel with Cuba.

Otter’s Palestinian aid proposal, Preston said, is “a great idea. We’ve lost some momentum in helping resolve the issues over there in terms of promoting peace, and if we can put pressure from a financial standpoint on them, I think that’s a good idea.”

Preston, 49, has never held public office. But she said her business career, as a marketing executive and then owner of a small business, has shown that she could handle the challenge.

“I’ve shown that I’m a risk taker and I’m not afraid to take on the establishment,” she said. “I have shown that in my business career. I operate an independent coffee shop, and I have succeeded against Starbucks.”

However, at the same time, Preston said she’s been unable to afford to offer health coverage to her employees. “That is very disappointing to me,” she said. “It really bothers me.”

She favors tax incentives to help small businesses offer such coverage.

She differs sharply from Otter on the environment, Social Security and health care, and suggested that Otter’s environmental views match up with those of industries that donate to his campaign.

“We have a beautiful state, more pristine than a lot of states, and while I think we have to make accommodations for industry, we also have to protect the jewels that we have in our environment, because they’re not making any more of them,” Preston said. “They’re not making another Lake Pend Oreille.”

Preston said that’s why she opposes the Rock Creek Mine upstream from the lake in Montana.

“People say you are crazy taking on the Republicans in this predominantly Republican state. Well, I’m not afraid of a challenge,” she said. “I have met significant challenges my entire life, and if anything they’ve made me stronger.”

In addition to running her Wild West Bakery & Espresso in Eagle even as Starbucks moved into town, Preston cited experiences ranging from going to work after the death of her father when she was 13, to adopting and training a wild horse that, against great odds, became an endurance champion.

“I worked and developed her into a champion and beat pure-bred Arabians in the sport of endurance, against a lot of negativity, a lot of negative horse politics if you will,” she said, “which would’ve shut a lot of people down, but it just made me grow stronger.”

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