Doctor Challenges Chenoweth Newcomer To Politics Joins Race To Oust Gop Lawmaker

Republican Congressman Helen Chenoweth got a last-minute opponent Friday afternoon for the party nomination in the May 28 primary election.

Nampa physician William Levinger, who has never run for public office before, made a late decision to run against Chenoweth. He was the last to file of the 252 people who appear on the primary election ballot.

“I’m running because Helen Chenoweth does not represent me,” Levinger said. “I have a career, a family and a life that I care about maintaining. But I could not stand by and allow Helen Chenoweth to be the only representative of the Republican Party of Idaho.”

Levinger, 40, described himself as a social moderate and fiscal conservative.

“I was hoping that Helen Chenoweth would be facing opposition in the primary,” he said. “I was disappointed that she was running unopposed.”

Levinger said he was “continually amazed” at some of the positions Chenoweth has taken.

“I challenge her, if she truly wishes to diminish the impact of the federal government in her life, to run a campaign for less than $5,000,” Levinger said.

At that level, candidates do not have to file campaign finance reports with the federal government.

“I think the campaign can and should be run on ideas and vision,” he said. “Nowhere in the job description does this say, ‘House of Politicians,’ this is a race for the House of Representatives.”

Two Democrats, Dan Williams and Matt Lambert, also are running for the 1st District congressional seat.

, DataTimes