Herndon announces state Senate bid

SANDPOINT — Local home builder Scott Herndon is seeking the Republican Party nomination for Idaho Senate seat in District 1.

“Our Founding Fathers had a vision for this country – free, sovereign states that govern themselves with minimal federal intrusion,” said Herndon in announcing his bid. “Decisions made by the people most concerned with the results.”

The seat is currently held by Jim Woodward, whose term ends Nov. 30, 2022. Woodward has not yet announced if he intends to seek reelection.

Herndon said the Idaho Legislature needs state legislators willing to take a stand to preserve the country's rights.

"It will take assertive state legislators to band together and remind D.C. of federalism’s meaning - by robust legislation, litigation, and words backed up with action," he said.

While the Idaho House of Representatives is "genuinely conservative," many bills get killed in the Idaho Senate," Herndon said. “The Idaho Senate needs more small-government, conservative representation."

Herndon said he offers voters a legislator who is strong pro-life and pro-Second Amendment and has worked both privately and with causes he believes in to craft legislation.

In 2020, Herndon said he authored a change to the Idaho Republican Party platform to outlaw all abortion in Idaho, without exceptions, and he matched that by authoring House Bill 56 that was introduced during the 2021 legislative session. Along with the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance and the Second Amendment Foundation, Herndon is continuing to challenge a weapons ban on firearms at the Festival at Sandpoint.

Herndon also led a legal challenge on COVID-19 restrictions that limited in-person religious services. Herndon said that challenge was validated when federal judge ruled the restriction unconstitutional.

As a private citizen, Herndon authored two legislative bills that were signed into Idaho law. In 2020, HB 438 strengthened parental rights, and in 2021 HB 104 passed both houses unanimously and expanded campaign finance disclosures. 

“I’ve spent years building homes for residents of Bonner and Boundary counties," Herndon said. "Now, I want to help build a freer Idaho in the State Senate." Herndon.

Scott is the owner of Scott Herndon Homes, a local homebuilding business. He resides near Sandpoint with his wife of 25 years, Arlene, and seven of their children.