Former state Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, who is running for governor in 2018, has issued the following statement on Congressman Raul Labrador’s entry into the race:

 “I welcome my friend Congressman Labrador to the race, and wish him and his family all the best. In 2014, he endorsed me in my race for governor, stating he supported me because of my ‘political courage and fresh ideas.’ He said that I would ‘work to reduce our dependence on Washington D.C., make the tax code more competitive, reduce regulation, and give Idaho the chance to fulfill its promise.’ I suspect he still believes that.

“For the next year I will be traveling the state, meeting with Idahoans, listening to their concerns, and learning how I can best serve you as Idaho’s next governor.”