GOP candidates make pitch for state offices

BONNERS FERRY — State and federal legislative candidates came out to the March 31, candidate forum at Boundary County Middle School.

U.S. SENATE

A worship pastor and small business owner from Lewiston, Scott Trotter is running for U.S. Senate. Trotter started his time singing the first few lines of the hymn, “How Great is Our God.”

A majority of Trotter’s platform center’s around the national debt. He said 10% of his salary will go toward paying back the debt and he will ask other lawmakers to join in.

“They got us into this mess, now it is up to them to get us out,” Trotter said. “We have to start stirring it up. We have to start taking small steps. Is it ridiculous to give 10% of your salary to the national debt? Yes, because we're $30 trillion in debt.”

STATE SENATE, DISTRICT 1

Scott Herndon is challenging Jim Woodward for the Legislative District 1 seat. Woodward was unable to attend the forum as he was called back to session in Boise.

Herndon questioned Woodward’s voting record, saying the incumbent voted to extend the governor’s emergency powers at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and that Woodward voted against the bill to prevent vaccine mandates in Idaho.

“Our senator voted against the bill. He did not want to protect you from vaccine mandates,” Herndon said.

He spoke on the material shortages, the rise in inflation and how it has affected his business.

“It's impossible to run my business right now. Why are we facing that? Because the federal government has created money out of nothing,” he said. “We'll call it national debt they've injected into the economy under the guise of the state of emergency.”

Herndon said interest rates will have to rise in order to “quell inflation” which is going to consume more of the federal budget. In addition, the federal government is doing a lot of things in Idaho that it is not constitutionally authorized to do, he said.

“The Senate is not supposed to be the governor's rubber stamp. But our current senator often votes as the governor's rubber stamp. And that's got to stop and that's your choice in this election,” Herndon said.

STATE REP. SEAT 1B

Todd Engel is running against incumbent Sage Dixon, who was unable to attend after being called back to session in Boise.

“I’m running to represent you guys, but I won’t serve you, I serve somebody else. His name is Jesus Christ,” Engel said.

He spoke against Dixon working to create a world economic forum. Engel voiced concern of the coming of environmental social governance and social credit scores.

“They're coming to destroy, not just hope. But everything we hold dear in our entire country is at stake,” he said. “The current Legislature that we have in Idaho is not up to the task. They don't know what's coming. They don't understand and are not ready for this fight.”

He said that he will be prepared to confront these issues head on.

He said the Legislature has failed Idahoans in elections to secure security, grocery tax repeal, gun rights protections, medical privacy protections, sales tax reduction, gas tax reduction, and property tax reduction.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, SEAT 1A

With the redistricting of the District 1A seat there is an open seat with incumbent Heather Scott living outside the new district boundaries. Spencer Hutchings, Adam Rorick, Travis Thompson, Cynthia Weiss and Mark Sauter are running for the open seat. Sauter did not attend the meeting on March 31.

Spencer Hutchings said that he’d be perfect for the role.

“We have to replace her with somebody just as obnoxious. And just as in your face, as she was, she did not give them a break. And I'm not going to give them a break,” Hutchings said.

He is for Second Amendment rights and believes that the Idaho Legislature should be more pro gun and push back against gun control. He also advocated for state sovereignty and land rights.

“All the lands that the federal government has here, get out. It's not your land. These is our land,” he said. “What kind of situation would the state be in if we got to harvest the timber off that land? It would be completely different.”

Hutchings said that the money from the timber could go to schools rather than having to raise school levies. He wants to remove the exemption on the kilowatt tax for large businesses so homeowners aren’t the only ones paying. He also spoke in favor of keeping the dams and other power sources in Idaho.

Adam Rorick, former law enforcement officer, said that his experience in constitutional law would be helpful if he is elected to represent the district.

He agreed that school choice should be an option and funding should follow the child.

“I think that the money should go where the parent chooses to educate their child. They shouldn't have to pay for a broken public school system, and then also foot the bill for putting their child into a private school,” he said.

He said he wanted to have the Holy Bible back in school because it is fundamental to the Constitution and Idahoan way of life.

Travis Thompson said that he has been volunteering since 2012 in Boise. In 2015, he helped work to get constitutional carry passed.

He spoke out on the closures of restaurants and small businesses at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Why is COVID more dangerous at a restaurant or a bar than Home Depot or Walmart. And when it comes down to it [big businesses] have lobbyists. The representatives are supposed to represent the people but the lobbyists are out there, [pushing] those things,” Thompson said.

He said he had wanted to serve for a long time and in order to prove he could, he has donated and volunteered a tremendous amount of his time to help. He agreed that the state has a separation of power and that school choice is necessary.

Cynthia Weiss, spoke on the long history of her family in Idaho. Like everyone in her family, she has sworn to uphold the Constitution.

Weiss shared her love for Idaho and the U.S. She finished her time challenging her opponents to a debate in the future.

The primary election is May 17.