BOISE – GOP congressional candidate Vaughn Ward was joined by former Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne and state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna on Tuesday as he kicked off an 18-stop, four-day announcement tour of the 1st Congressional District.

Ward, a decorated Iraq war veteran, and Kempthorne will make five North Idaho appearances today: at the Chic and Chop in Bonners Ferry at 7:30 a.m.; Ivano’s in Sandpoint at 11:30 a.m.; Ground Force Manufacturing at 5650 E. Seltice Way, between Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, at 2 p.m.; the Wallace Inn at 4 p.m.; and G.W. Hunter’s restaurant in Post Falls at 6:30 p.m.

Ward will continue Thursday to St. Maries, Moscow, Lewiston and Grangeville, and will wrap up the tour Friday with numerous stops, including a final one in Caldwell.

Ward faces state Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, in the GOP primary for a chance to take on Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick.

Ward has been traveling the district and campaigning since last spring and has raised more than $400,000 for his campaign.

“I look at Idaho and I see our state being haggled over by politicians who are unaccountable to the people and are more concerned about self-preservation,” Ward said. “It is time to usher in a new era of leaders.”

Ward was an aide on then-U.S. Sen. Kempthorne’s staff before he joined the Marines and served in Iraq and Afghanistan.