BOISE - Lawmakers from Lewiston north will take up eight of the 20 seats on the Idaho Legislature’s powerful joint budget committee when the legislative session convenes in January, doubling the representation for the region on the budget-writing panel.

“Five of us are in the northern Panhandle, so to the degree there might be northern issues that we all would agree on, we certainly would have the opportunity for some leverage there,” said Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, a ninth-term senator who will again serve as the Senate vice-chair of the joint committee. More. Betsy Russell, SR

How do you hope the Panhandle 5 will use their newfound clout?

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