Trustee Tom Hearn of the Coeur d'Alene School District officially announced his candidacy for the House District 4B seat now held by state Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur d'Alene. In his announcement Hearn took issue with several legislative actions taken by Sims, including her opposition to a mental health center that has been built in Coeur d'Alene:

One does not need to be a mental health therapist to know our community would benefit from additional mental health resources in Coeur d’Alene. We need an advocate for those in crisis and I will be that advocate. Representative Sims did not support funding the mental health crises center and voted repeatedly against the community by opposing law enforcement’s and other professional’s recommendations and ignoring the needs of the community. That’s not the representation in the legislature that Coeur d’Alene deserves. People over politics is a shared value here in Coeur d’Alene and I will listen to the people instead of special interest groups. Full news release and position statement here. (Photo courtesy of Hearn campaign staff: School Trustee Tom Hearn announces his candidacy for state Rep. Kathy Sims' House District 4B seat at the Art Spirit Gallery in downtown Coeur d'Alene today.)

Question: Can a fully engaged Democrat beat Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur d'Alene, in a Coeur d'Alene legislative race?