Incumbent vs. newcomer

Dick Harwood has ruffled some feathers, no doubt, during the four terms he’s served as a state representative in Idaho’s District 2.

He says he’s simply trying to hold people accountable and eliminate wasteful government spending – and, he said, a lot of people thank him for that.

“A million dollars is still a million dollars to me,” said the Republican legislator from St. Maries. “Sometimes agencies come in and talk like $10 million is nothing, a drop in the bucket, but it’s tax dollars coming out of someone’s pocket.”

The self-described fiscal conservative is being challenged by first-time candidate C.J. Rose, an openly gay retired educator from Spirit Lake.

Rose lives a rustic lifestyle in a log cabin on 20 acres, cooking and heating with wood and living without the comforts of appliances.

She has chain saws, old trucks, ham radios and a tractor and says she’s good at fixing things.

Rose has a whole list of things she believes need fixing.

She would like legislation reducing class sizes and to increase the support for teachers. She supports an increase to the minimum wage indexed to the cost of groceries and gas, eliminating the grocery tax, repealing Idaho’s right to work law and addressing rising health care and prescription drug costs.

Rose describes Idaho’s House of Representatives as “one of the most lopsided in the nation.”

“When one party dominates, it becomes arrogant and unresponsive to issues that concern most people,” Rose said. “I know that most Idaho parents want more affordable health insurance for their children. I know most Idaho residents want growth to pay for itself.”

Harwood said he struggles with the waste in government spending. If taxpayers have to cut back due to tough times, he said, the state must do the same.

Through involvement in the house’s Environment, Energy and Technology; Revenue and Taxation; and Judiciary, Rules and Administration committees, Harwood said he has espoused being conservative and a good steward.

He’s proud of his involvement in drafting the so-called Grandparents’ Bill of Rights, which gives grandparents the ability to petition a court for custodial rights.

Harwood is hoping for a fifth term so he can work to address wolf management – an especially hot topic in his home county.