Tribe co-sponsoring debate to boost role

Coeur d’Alene Tribe officials say their co-sponsorship of a congressional debate in Coeur d’Alene tonight is part of an effort to take a more active role in politics and policy in the region.

“The chairman and the tribal council want to get a little bit more proactive on issues,” said Quanah Spencer, the tribe’s legislative director. “The folks that are vying for the 1st Congressional District race are in effect going to be representing the tribal constituency also.”

Tonight, the two leading candidates for Idaho’s open 1st District congressional seat, Democrat Larry Grant and Republican Bill Sali, will face off in their first debate, co-sponsored by the tribe and by North Idaho College’s Popcorn Forum.

Jim Weatherby, political science professor emeritus at Boise State University, said, “I think it’s great. We need more debates, and we need more groups like the tribe encouraging their members to get out and participate.”

Spencer said the tribe plans to bring several busloads of its members from the reservation to watch the debate. Members of a tribal youth council also will tour the college campus as part of the event.

“This will be a first for the tribe – we hope it won’t be the last,” Spencer said. “We’ve got a lot of folks in the tribal community that are very excited about the opportunity to attend this forum and listen to what a potential congressman has got to say about the issues.”

Panelists for tonight’s debate include local journalists, a student journalist, and a tribal council member. NIC official Kent Propst, assistant to the president for community relations, will moderate.

Spencer said, “Part of the reasoning behind this whole effort has been an attempt by the tribe to really get out there and get themselves educated on the issues, and also to kind of reintroduce themselves to the North Idaho region, and let the North Idaho region know that the tribe’s going to be a very big promoter of a lot of the ideals and ideas that shape northern Idaho.”

Weatherby said, “The tribes are players.” They’ve been involved in Idaho’s political arena from sponsoring a successful gaming initiative to lobbying the state Legislature and Congress, he said. “I think they are well advised to make their voices heard and to be seen as players in both the state and federal arena.”