Timber PAC endorses Democratic candidate
BOISE – Timber PAC, the political arm of Idaho’s timber industry, has endorsed Democrat Jackie Groves Twilegar in the race for state controller after interviewing both candidates.
“Jackie’s educational background, her experience with finances and trusts, was just outstanding,” said Jane Wittmeyer, a Timber PAC official and vice president of the Intermountain Forest Association. “She was articulate, she knew the issues, she’d done her homework, she knew what was going on at the controller’s office, and she had some good ideas on what she wanted to accomplish that impressed our folks.”
Twilegar faces Republican Donna Jones in the race for state controller, a position that has one of the five votes on the state Land Board. The Land Board controls Idaho’s state endowment lands, much of which are managed for timber production with the proceeds benefiting public schools.
The influential political action committee, which has supported both Republicans and Democrats over the years, endorsed candidates for each Land Board position, and Twilegar was the only Democrat to earn the nod. The other endorsements went to Republicans Butch Otter for governor, Lawrence Wasden for attorney general, Ben Ysursa for secretary of state and Tom Luna for state superintendent of schools.
Twilegar welcomed the endorsement. “They made a decision that as the largest, most productive lessor of state lands, that the timber industry wanted to see good business, good government and not a partisan rubber stamp in the controller’s office,” she said. “They were more comfortable with my understanding of the financial issues related to natural resources.”
Twilegar described herself as a moderate Democrat with a business background.
Jones, a former lawmaker and head of the Idaho Real Estate Commission, said, “You know, you just never get 100 percent of the PACs.” Her campaign noted that she’s been endorsed by a number of other PACs, including the Associated Loggers and the Agriculture and Natural Resources PAC, and that a group of prominent industry lobbyists is planning a fundraiser for her Oct. 12 at the exclusive Arid Club in Boise.
Timber PAC is the political arm of the Intermountain Forest Association, based in Coeur d’Alene. The industry group includes the state’s major lumber mill and forestland owners.
Timber PAC historically has been a major funder of legislative campaigns in North Idaho. So far in the current election cycle, it has donated to an array of candidates, including $2,000 to Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle; $2,500 to Sen. Michael Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake; $500 to Rep. George Sayler, D-Coeur d’Alene; and $250 to Rep. Mary Lou Shepherd, D-Prichard.
The PAC gave $5,000 to Otter, and $2,500 each to Wasden and Ysursa.
In the primary, Timber PAC endorsed Republican candidate Steve Smylie for state schools superintendent, but in the general election it switched to Luna, who defeated Smylie in the GOP primary and now faces Democrat Jana Jones.
Wittmeyer described Timber PAC as “a modest PAC that is obviously bipartisan.” In recent years, the PAC has donated to both Republicans and Democrats, but has given more to Republicans, who hold large majorities in the Legislature.