Tucker Scrambling For 8th Term Gop Challenger Keough Has Backing Of Timber Industry, Ties To Business

Sen. Tim Tucker, D-Porthill, has become almost a fixture in the Legislature. He’s won term after term, racking up 14 years of service.

But this year the veteran senator and potato farmer is being targeted by feisty Republican newcomer Shawn Keough.

She has some hefty campaign contributions, more than $9,000 so far, and support from the timber industry to help her try to topple Tucker.

“He (Tucker) has been there 14 years and I believe it’s time for a change in the statehouse,” Keough said.

Tucker has been ineffective in solving problems facing Bonner and Boundary counties, she said. And because Tucker is a Democrat, he’s out of the decision-making loop in Boise.

“I know folks find partisan politics distasteful, but you need to use the tools you have to make a difference in the communities. One of the tools I have is being part of the majority (Republican) party.”

That kind of thinking is “naive,” Tucker said, adding every person that’s run against him used that argument. Ninety percent of the bills are non-partisan and decided in leadership groups composed of veterans like Tucker.

“It’s not likely any Republican or Democrat can go to Boise and have them start spending money in North Idaho when they haven’t in 40 years,” he said.

Keough may, however, have one slight advantage. She lives in Bonner County - home of the district’s largest concentration of voters - and has made inroads into support that has usually gone to Tucker.

Tucker’s winning votes typically have come from Bonner County, where he has enjoyed backing from the timber industry.

But Keough has stolen much of that support and it reflects in her campaign contributions: Timber groups account for nearly half her total.

She has worked closely with timber groups here since 1988 and is the timber information specialist for the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.

The two candidates share many of the same concerns for North Idaho, including education reform, landing more dollars from the state for schools and improving the state highways.

“I have never stopped focusing on public schools, and if we need to reform education completely then we need to get on with it,” Tucker said. Educators have to realize not every student is college material or college-bound. More vocational programs are needed to prepare students for a career, the senator said.

Tucker also wants a statewide program to build new schools and take the burden off property owners.

Keough agrees and said the current education funding formula favors southern Idaho. Bonner County has the fifth-highest property value assessments in the state, yet ranks 101 out of 112 school districts in funding per student.

Bonner and Boundary counties have struggled with tight budgets and have no money to repair dilapidated schools.

“We need to fund our schools without raising property taxes,” she said. “I’ve found places to make changes in the formula that gives us more money without scrapping the entire system. It would make it more equitable for North Idaho and still keep the southern part of the state happy.”

Tucker voted against the bill that set up the current education funding formula.

Keough’s other pressing issue is the condition of North Idaho’s highways. She wants a U.S. Highway 95 bypass around Sandpoint put on the fast track and is already working to land a seat on the transportation committee.

“We are currently not represented. If we have an aggressive presence on the committee it will help our chances to move ahead on projects critical to us.”

Tucker is taking a different tack. He’s already working on a bill to fund rebuilding all of Highway 95. The plan calls for dedicating one penny of sales tax, about $40 million a year, to road construction.

He proposes starting construction where the most accidents and fatalities have occurred.

One issue that has surfaced for Tucker is protecting Lake Pend Oreille from the ASARCO mining company. A proposed mine in Montana would pour wastewater into the Clark Fork River and eventually into Lake Pend Oreille.

“The threat to the lake is real and I’m going to push for some guidelines to make sure they do not pollute the lake.”

The senator also wants communities to be able to impose impact fees on developers. “Growth should fund growth. Existing homeowners should not subsidize new homeowners.”

Keough knows many problems face North Idaho, including the loss of resource-based jobs. But she is being realistic about the impact a legislator can have.

“I can’t focus on all of the problems. I’m not going to say I can do everything,” she said. “I’m only pledging to people that I will look for solutions and work as hard as I can for the voters and communities here.”

, DataTimes MEMO: See individual profiles by name of candidate.

This sidebar appeared with the story: DISTRICT 1 Term: 2 years Salary: $12,360