What To Do About Kathy Sims?

So how do you un-elect a legislator that votes against her community’s interests on major issues, like state Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur d’Alene, does? The nonpartisan City Council and School Board show that Coeur d’Alene voters are capable of picking centrist or center right candidates over conservative hardliners. Sims proved again that she’s in the latter camp. She was among the rigid ideologues who voted against community interests by opposing the mental health crisis center for North Idaho last year and this one. She has fought unsuccessfully for years to dismantle Coeur d’Alene’s urban renewal district, which has been largely responsible for the impressive economic development in the Lake City. On Friday, Sims outdid herself by voting against single mothers and dependent children with 8 other legislators to kill Child Support legislation that could cost Idaho millions of federal dollars and more than 100 state worker jobs. Unfortunately, Sims is protected by time and the closed Republican primary. As frustrated as we are today by the clueless vote she, Don Cheatham (District 3), Heather Scott (District 1) and Shannon McMillan (District 7) and others cast Friday, many of her constituents are unaware of it. They will have completely forgotten it by next spring when Sims could seek re-election. Then, there’s the closed GOPrimary that dilutes voter turnout and allows the Far Right to nominate ideologues who’ll proceed to November with the almighty R after their names. Recall Sims? There would be poetic justice in such an attempt, after the turmoil she, state Sen. Mary Souza and others put the community through in attempting to recall Mayor Sandi Bloem and three council members in 2012. More than anything, the community needs an organization that can counter the Reagan Republicans, the host of other R splinter groups, Rally Right and the North West Property Owners Association who work 24/7 to foist there philosophies on this viewtiful community. We need some sort of umbrella group (the equivalent of Balance North Idaho) to promote good partisan candidates in the GOPrimary or Independent candidates. Without one, we will keep watching representatives like Kathy Sims impose their will and the will of conservative hardliners on this region/ DFO.

Question: Do you have any ideas how to elect better legislators in Coeur d’Alene and Kootenai County?