Election Notes

3.11.22 (9:40 a.m.): Two House shakeups on JFAC

We’ll have much more news through the day on the campaign filing front, but here’s some news on the non-filing front.

The ranking House Republicans on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee are stepping down.

House Chairman Rick Youngblood, R-Nampa, had filed paperwork to run for a sixth term, but later withdrew. He is endorsing two local firefighters — including Jason Knopp, a Melba school trustee — for the two open House seats in District 23, Betsy Russell of the Idaho Press reported Thursday.

“I’ve been telling people that the House is on fire so I had to go find two firemen to help put it out,” Youngblood told Russell.

Meanwhile, House Vice Chair Caroline Nilsson Troy, R-Genesee, will not seek a fifth House term, KLEW-TV in Lewiston reported Thursday.

Redistricting put Troy in a crowded legislative District 6, along with House incumbents Lori McCann of Lewiston and Brandon Mitchell of Moscow.

“I really like the new district,” Troy told KLEW. “There was just one too many of us.”

Two takeaways:

• This means at least 21 of the House’s 70 members will not seek re-election this year — either because they’re retiring, or because they’re seeking another office.
• This creates openings for two plum assignments on JFAC, the Legislature’s powerful budget-writing committee. Those assignments will be carved up in early December — after two rounds of elections, and after the House elects a new speaker.

Check in for more updates Friday. The filing period draws to a close at 5 p.m.

3.10.22: A Thursday filing roundup

As the candidate filing deadline approaches, here are a few noteworthy items on the legislative front:

• A much-anticipated House GOP rematch is on in Madison County. Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, filed for re-election Wednesday. He will face former Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg. Nate defeated Raybould in 2020; Round Two could be one of the most interesting primaries in Idaho.
• In West Boise, a Senate GOP primary should be intriguing as well. Rep. Codi Galloway has filed to take on incumbent Sen. Fred Martin in legislative District 15. A third Republican is in that mix as well: Dorothy Greeenzang. Awaiting the GOP nominee is Boise Democrat Rick Just; Martin defeated Just in 2020.
• Kevin Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs, filed for a House seat in Southeast Idaho’s legislative District 35. He’ll face Soda Springs Republican Jon Goode, who has the endorsement of one of the four sitting House members in District 35, retiring Rep. Marc Gibbs, R-Grace. District 35 Rep. Chad Christensen, R-Ammon, has filed for the district’s other House seat, as has Ammon Republican Josh Wheeler. No word yet from the district’s other sitting lawmaker, Rep. Randy Armstrong, R-Inkom.
• Jason Knopp — a Melba school trustee, and president of the Idaho School Boards Association — has filed for an open House seat in legislative District 23. Three other Republicans are in the race: Melissa Durrant, Tyson Garten and Michael Law, all of Kuna.
• Another school trustee is running for the House: Caldwell School Board member Marisela Pesina. She will run in a rare contested Democratic primary, facing Toni Ferro of Caldwell. They’re running in legislative District 11.

3.9.22: A contested House primary in District 22

Suburban Ada County’s legislative District 22 threw four sitting House members together.

The races are taking shape.

First-term Rep. Greg Ferch, R-Boise, filed for a House race against six-term House member John Vander Woude, R-Meridian.

At least for now, this is the only contested GOP primary in District 22. Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, and Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian, are now unopposed. And the fourth sitting House member in 22, Rep. Steven Harris, R-Meridian, has said he will not seek re-election.

In statewide filings news, Terry Gilbert wasn’t on the radar, but he has filed for state superintendent on the Democratic ticket. Other recent Republican statewide filings were expected: former State Board of Education President Debbie Critchfield filed for state superintendent, and state Rep. Priscilla Giddings of White Bird filed for lieutenant governor.

3.9.22: Boise Democrat, former IEA president files for state superintendent

Our story from Wednesday, March 9:

Days before the candidate filing deadline, the Democratic Party finally has a candidate for superintendent of public instruction.

Terry Gilbert — a Boise resident and former Idaho Education Association president — has filed for the post.

He joins three Republicans in the race: incumbent state superintendent Sherri Ybarra, former State Board of Education president Debbie Critchfield, and Branden Durst, a former Democratic legislator running on the GOP ticket.

If he’s nominated — and he is the only Democrat now in the race — Gilbert would face the Republican nominee in the November general election.

“Idaho’s strong and successful communities start with our children’s schools. I am running to give a voice to the Idaho parents, students, teachers, and support personnel who are weary of those in power failing year after year to live up to their constitutional duty to fund public education,” Gilbert said in a news release Wednesday.

“Too many of our current leaders are asking the wrong questions about education. Their answers result in a standardized test-driven model that suppresses student creativity, initiative, and learning. Our children deserve an outstanding education system that will prepare them to be thoughtful, ethically driven citizens and to have rewarding and well-paying careers.”

A graduate of Northwest Nazarene University, Gilbert began his education career in 1967 in Marsing. He later taught secondary-level English in rural Washington state and in the Nampa School District.

He was elected IEA president in 1977, and later served as the union’s regional director in Twin Falls and Meridian area, and as the IEA’s director of organizational development.

Gilbert’s announcement gives the Democrats a candidate in the one statewide office the party has won in the past two decades, when Marilyn Howard was re-elected in 2002.

Since then, other Democrats have come close to winning the superintendent’s race:

• Jana Jones captured 49% of the vote in 2006, losing to Republican Tom Luna.
• Jones again received 49% support in 2014, losing to Ybarra by about 5,500 votes.
• Four years later, Cindy Wilson received 48% support, losing to Ybarra by about 17,500 votes.

The candidate filing period closes at 5 p.m. Friday.

3.8.22: Lee joins crowded GOP race in District 9

A redrawn legislative district along the Idaho-Oregon border will be worth watching this spring.

Sen. Abby Lee, R-Fruitland, filed for re-election Tuesday. She’ll be seeking a fifth Senate term in legislative District 9.

Lee, the GOP’s assistant majority leader, has plenty of company on the primary ballot. Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee Chairman Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, has filed for a seventh term.

The redistricting process threw the two incumbents into the same district.

And two other Republicans have filed for the Senate seat: Jordan Marques of Payette and Kayla Dunn, a member of Power2Parent Union, a parental rights group.

According to the secretary of state office’s candidate list, Dunn lists a Boise post office box as a mailing address. However, all candidates must provide proof that they live in a legislative district.

District 9 also has a contested House primary involving a pair of Republican incumbents: Judy Boyle of Midvale and Scott Syme of Wilder.

3.7.22: Raybould files paperwork for rematch with Nate

Former Rep. Britt Raybould filed campaign paperwork Monday — setting the stage for a rematch with sitting Rep. Ron Nate.

Raybould, a Rexburg Republican, served in the House in 2019 and 2020, sitting on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. Nate, R-Rexburg, unseated Raybould in the 2020 GOP primary to return to the House. Nate now sits on JFAC, where he has entrenched himself as a conservative hardliner.

Nate has also crossed swords with House leadership, repeatedly pushing for a vote on legislation to repeal the grocery tax. The bill remains held in a House committee.

“(Nate) pulls political stunts on the House floor that waste taxpayer dollars,” Raybould said in a news release. “His bills remain stuck in committee because he lacks the leadership to secure enough votes to move legislation through the process. Instead of doing the work, Ron blames House leaders and chairmen for his problems.”

Nate has not formally filed for re-election.

In other campaign news, two senators serving on JFAC and the Senate Education Committee have filed for re-election.

Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, will seek a third term. He has a primary opponent, Bonner County Republican Central Committee Chairman Scott Herndon.

Sen. Carl Crabtree, R-Grangeville, will seek a fourth term. He already has two primary challengers: Cindy Carlson of Riggins, and Keith Stuffle of Lewiston.

The candidate filing period closes at 5 p.m. Friday.

3.4.22: A Friday filing roundup

There weren’t any surprises Friday, as the first week of the two-week candidate filing period drew to a close.

Here are a few notable filings:

Branden Durst. The former Democratic legislator made it official, filing for the state superintendent’s race on the GOP ticket. He joins Republican incumbent Sherri Ybarra in the field. Former State Board of Education President Debbie Critchfield hasn’t yet filed. No Democrats have filed for the seat.

Scott Bedke. Also making it official, the House speaker entered the Republican race for lieutenant governor. And he announced some endorsements Friday, from the GOP Senate leadership team: President Pro Tem Chuck Winder of Boise; Majority Leader Kelly Anthon of Burley; Assistant Majority Leader Abby Lee of Fruitland; and Caucus Chair Mark Harris of Soda Springs.

Bedke joins Boise Democrat Terri Pickens Manweiler and perennial candidate Pro-Life (formerly known as Marvin Richardson), running on the Constitution Party ticket. State Rep. Priscilla Giddings hasn’t yet filed.

Dan Foreman. The former state senator joins a crowded Senate field in District 6. The Viola Republican joins Sen. Robert Blair, a Kendrick Republican who was appointed to the Senate this session, and Moscow Republican Jen Seegmiller. Sen. David Nelson of Moscow is running on the Democratic ticket.

A conservative hardliner, Foreman served in the Senate in 2017 and 2018.

3.3.22: Another primary showdown, and a big retirement

Let’s catch up on several items from the candidate filing front:

Another incumbent showdown. Reps. Judy Boyle of Midvale and Scott Syme of Wilder will square off in the May 17 Republican primary.

Redistricting has thrust the two incumbents into the remapped legislative District 9. (A third incumbent, Rep. Ryan Kerby, R-New Plymouth, has already filed for the other House seat. Meanwhile, there are already two Republican Senate candidates for District 9: Sen. Jim Rice of Caldwell and Jordan Marques of Payette.)

Boyle, a member of the House Education Committee, is in her seventh legislative term.

Syme, a member of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, is in his third term.

Harris retires. A significant retirement in the Treasure Valley: Rep. Steven Harris, R-Meridian, will not seek re-election.

Harris has served 10 years in the House. He now chairs the House Revenue and Taxation Committee, and before that, had served as chairman of the House State Affairs Committee.

Harris’ move eases some of the logjam in the reconfigured legislative District 22. Three Republican House members live in 22: John Vander Woude of Nampa, Jason Monks of Nampa and Greg Ferch of Boise. Vander Woude and Monks have filed for re-election; Ferch has not.

A rematch. Former state Rep. Jerald Raymond of Menan will take on Rep. Karey Hanks, R-St. Anthony, in the GOP primary.

That’s a familiar matchup. Hanks defeated Raymond in the 2020 primary to return to the Legislature.

The filing period runs through March 11. Check back for updates.

3.2.22: Thayn to seek re-election, face Grow in GOP primary

Senate Education Committee Chairman Steven Thayn is seeking a ninth term in the Legislature.

And he’ll be running in what figures to be heated GOP primary against Sen. C. Scott Grow.

The redistricting process put Thayn, R-Emmett, and Grow, R-Eagle, into a redrawn legislative District 14, which takes in Gem County and northwest Ada County.

It’s a considerably different district for Thayn. For the past decade, he has represented a sprawling Central Idaho district that lumped Gem County together with Boise, Custer, Lemhi and Valley counties. Those counties are now split off into different legislative districts.

Thayn has been in the Senate for 10 years, after serving six years in the House. He has been the Senate Education chairman for the past two sessions.

Grow has been in the Senate for six years, and sits on the budget-writing Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.

Thayn is one of several Senate and House education committee members who have filed for re-election. That list includes:

• House Education Committee Chairman Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls.
• House Education Vice Chairman Ryan Kerby, R-New Plymouth.
• Ron Mendive, R-Coeur d’Alene.
• Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell.
• Steve Berch, D-Boise.
• Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian.
• Robert Blair, R-Kendrick.
• David Nelson, D-Moscow.
• Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise.

Check back for updates throughout the filing period, which runs through March 11.

3.1.22: Vick announces retirement, endorses Okuniewicz

Sen. Steve Vick will not seek re-election, and the North Idaho conservative is endorsing Rep. Doug Okuniewicz to take his place.

“I don’t believe that being a legislator was meant to be a career, and now I am excited with the prospect of spending more time with my family and enjoying the wonderful life that we share with all of our neighbors in North Idaho,” Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, said in a news release Tuesday.

Vick has served 12 years in the Senate.

Okuniewicz, R-Hayden, is in his second year in the House.

I am humbled and truly grateful for Sen. Vick’s endorsement,” Okuniewicz said Tuesday. “Although I have truly enjoyed my time in the Idaho House of Representatives, I look forward to this new challenge.”

With Tuesday’s news, at least 10 of Idaho’s 35 senators are leaving at the end of this term — to retire or to seek another office. And at least nine House members will be running for state Senate.

2.28.22: Day One candidate filing news

The first set of candidate filings came late Monday afternoon.

Here’s what we saw:

Statewide races. No big surprises. Several Republican incumbents filed for re-election: Sen. Mike Crapo; state superintendent Sherri Ybarra; Attorney General Lawrence Wasden; and Controller Brandon Woolf.

Legislature. Again, no big surprises. Several candidacies we’ve reported about before. Two Senate Education Committee incumbents, Kendrick Republican Robert Blair and Moscow Democrat David Nelson, both filed in reconfigured District 6. Republicans Laurie Lickley of Jerome and Eric Parker of Hailey filed for the Senate race in District 26. Boise teacher Soñia Galaviz is running for a House seat in legislative District 16, on the Democratic ticket.

What to watch for. We’ve been watching the potential exodus from the House to the Senate. Lickley is among seven House members who have announced plans to run for the Senate. There could be more: Reps. Terry Gestrin, R-Donnelly, and Tammy Nichols, R-Middleton, have filed paperwork naming campaign treasurers for a Senate run. That isn’t a formal filing, but it is a precursor to filing for office.

Redistricting threw both Gestrin and Nichols into crowded legislative districts with a glut of House incumbents. Their moves could sidestep contested primaries involving House incumbents.

The filing period runs through Friday, March 11. Check here daily for updates, and check back on March 11 for a full roundup. 

2.28.22: Bayer to retire from Senate

As the candidate filing period opens, another sitting senator is stepping aside.

Sen. Regina Bayer, R-Meridian, says she will not seek a third term.

But in a statement Monday, she suggested she is not completely satisfied with the Republican who has announced for her Senate seat, Meridian City Council member Treg Bernt.

“Since the filing period begins today for the primary election, I hope this timely announcement will give the right person the opportunity to file a candidacy,” Bayer said. “There is much work that needs to be done and I’m hopeful someone that reflects my conservative values will step forward to run for my seat representing the voters of legislative District 21.”

The filing period runs through March 11. (Check back here for the latest news.)

With Bayer’s announcement, at least nine of Idaho’s 35 senators will not run for re-election in 2022 — either to retire or to seek another office.

 

2.24.22: Toone will not seek re-election

Democratic Rep. Sally Toone — a teacher and a member of the House Education Committee — will step down after this term.

“I will continue to passionately support our local communities and schools as I finish my final term,” Toone, D-Gooding, said in a news release Thursday. “But that advocacy won’t end when I leave the Statehouse.”

Toone has served six years in the House. She is a member of House Democratic leadership, serving as minority caucus chairwoman.

Redistricting brought big changes to Toone’s legislative district. She had represented Blaine, Camas, Gooding and Lincoln counties. But Toone’s redrawn district no longer takes in Blaine County, a Democratic stronghold.

At least 15 of the House’s 70 members plan to leave the body — to run for statewide office or the state Senate, or to step aside from state politics altogether.

2.23.22: Gibbs retires, endorses candidate in District 35

The chairman of the House Resources and Conservation Committee is retiring, and he has endorsed a potential successor.

Rep. Marc Gibbs, R-Grace, is supporting Jon Goode, a City Council member from Soda Springs, East Idaho News reported.

Gibbs has served 14 years in the Legislature.

The latest round of redistricting thrust Gibbs into a crowded, remapped legislative District 35. Three other House Republicans — Kevin Andrus of Lava Hot Springs, Randy Armstrong of Inkom and Chad Christensen of Iona — also live in District 35.

In addition, Ammon City Council member Joshua Wheeler is running for a House seat in District 35, East Idaho News reported.

With Gibbs’ retirement, at least 14 of the House’s 70 members plan to leave the body — to run for statewide office or the state Senate, or to step aside from state politics altogether.

2.22.22: Bair announces retirement, endorses VanOrden

Steve Bair, the Senate co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, will not seek re-election.

And Bair, R-Blackfoot, is endorsing his substitute for the 2022 legislative session, Pingree Republican Julie VanOrden.

Bair has been on leave of absence this session, due to an illness in his family. And those considerations weighed into his decision to step aside after 16 years in the Senate.

“Legislators and their families are not immune from illness, and it is that very issue that precludes me from further service in the Idaho Senate,” Bair said in a news release. “My family always comes first, and I need to now serve them.”

In endorsing VanOrden, Bair cited her work as former chair of the House Education Committee. “She has the expertise to represent agriculture, education, and many other issues. She takes a common-sense approach and is not beholden to lobby interests or political entrepreneur groups.”

In a news release, VanOrden said: “With Sen. Bair supporting me I believe I will bring a voice backed up with knowledge and experience to this seat in the Idaho State Senate.”

VanOrden served in the House from 2012 to 2018. She served two years as House Education chair before losing to current Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot, in the 2018 GOP primary. VanOrden now sits on the Idaho Public Charter School Commission.

With Bair’s decision, at least eight of the Senate’s 35 members will leave the Legislature this year, either to retire or to seek statewide office.

2.21.22: Ybarra to seek third term

Here’s our staff coverage from Feb. 21:

Sherri Ybarra made it official Monday morning: She will seek a third term as state superintendent of public instruction.

Ybarra announced her bid via email, less than three months before the May 17 GOP primary. She will join former State Board of Education President Debbie Critchfield and former legislator Branden Durst on the Republican ballot.

No Democrat has announced for the post. 

“Idahoans deserve to have a teacher’s voice as superintendent – not another politician,” Ybarra said in a news release. “Together we’ve made great progress and Idaho’s schools are on the right track. Today I’m running for re-election because there’s more work to do, and I believe that we can make Idaho a top 10 state in K-12 education!”

Ybarra narrowly won her first election in 2014, beating Democratic candidate Jana Jones by fewer than 6,000 votes to replace Tom Luna. In 2018, she beat Democratic challenger Cindy Wilson, by a slim margin of about 3%.

Incumbency means Ybarra will run with the benefit of name recognition, but it also means she’ll have to run on her track record.

In Monday’s news release, Ybarra touted several successes — including an increase in Idaho’s five-year high school graduation rate, even as the four-year graduation rate has fallen during the pandemic. She cited several victories on the school funding front, including increases for teacher pay and literacy — priorities of Gov. Brad Little and his predecessor, Butch Otter.

In Ybarra’s two terms as state superintendent, student outcomes have been a mixed bag. ISAT scores have inched upward by a percentage point or two each year, while K-3 reading proficiency has been sliding backward, even before the pandemic. Students have also missed at least 33 of 34 achievement benchmarks set by the State Department of Education for at least the first two years after those benchmarks were created, in compliance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. (See the full breakdown of Idaho’s progress toward those goals, here.)

Ybarra has grappled with her share of controversies, including public battles with other state officials — like last year, when she sued the Legislature for transferring some of her staff, and responsibilities, to the State Board of Education. As a reliable proponent of local control in education, Ybarra has repeatedly taken the approach of supporting districts’ growth over enforcing consequences for shortcomings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she left most school-operating decisions up to local school districts to enforce.

Ybarra has elevated conversations around student social-emotional well-being, but she has struggled to win legislative support for that priority. In early 2020, House Republicans mocked a $1 million proposal for social-emotional learning.

Critchfield reacted to the superintendent’s announcement Monday morning, saying, “Ybarra has been on the campaign trail for months at the taxpayer expense,” and “this just formalizes what she’s already been doing.”

“This would be Ybarra’s third term and Idahoans are desperate for a vision and a leader,” Critchfield told EdNews by email. “The statewide support of our message provides the evidence that eight years was long enough. Parents are frustrated, educators are discouraged and businesses need skilled employees. Idaho deserves a leader that will meet the educational needs of the 21st century. It’s no time for a political victory lap.”

In a direct Twitter message to Idaho EdNews, Durst took aim at both his opponents.

“Critchfield and Ybarra are both establishment, moderates candidates,” Durst wrote. “They want to protect the system at the expense of parents and children. They have both had eight years to end Common Core, stop the infiltration of critical race theory and to advocate for real school choice. They’ve instead acquiesced to Ed Inc. I am grateful for the outpouring of support that I am receiving from conservative Idahoans who know it’s time for a real change in the state superintendency.”

Upon entering the primary, the incumbent trails both her challengers in the fundraising race. Critchfield has reported drawing some $211,800 and holds a $182,700 pot of cash on hand, while Ybarra has raised around $23,500 and holds $13,400 in cash.

Ybarra’s also edged out by Durst, who has reported $32,700 in fundraising, with $7,300 on hand.

If past campaigns are any clue, Ybarra could continue facing a fundraising disadvantage — but that hasn’t stopped her yet. In both 2018 and 2014, Ybarra won despite being far outspent by her Democratic opponents.

2.18.22: Sitting senators could square off in District 6

Sen. Robert Blair, R-Kendrick, will run this fall in the reconfigured legislative District 6.

Blair has been in the Senate this session, substituting for Republican Sen. Dan Johnson, who was elected mayor of Lewiston in November.

Blair announced his election plans Friday; he will formally kick off his campaign at the Statehouse Saturday.

Because of redistricting, that sets up a potential battle with another sitting senator, David Nelson, D-Moscow. Nelson has already announced his plans to seek a third term.

Both Blair and Nelson sit on the Senate Education Committee.

District 6 takes in Latah and Lewis counties, and a portion of Nez Perce County.

2.17.22: Bundy pulls out of GOP primary, will run as independent

Conservative activist Ammon Bundy has dropped out of the Republican race for governor, but not the governor’s race.

Bundy, of Emmett, will instead run as an independent.

He announced his decision over Twitter Thursday, and he took a few digs at Boise radio talk show host Nate Shelman in the process.

On Wednesday, Shelman reported that Bundy and Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin had cut a deal: Bundy agreed to drop out of the GOP primary and endorse McGeachin. According to Shelman’s report, Bundy agreed to drop out of the race entirely, should McGeachin win the May GOP primary, and McGeachin agreed to endorse Bundy, should incumbent Gov. Brad Little win the primary.

Here’s the Bundy statement, in full.

 

There’s a lot to unwrap here, but three quick reads:

First, Bundy’s move figures to help McGeachin in the primary. Bundy and McGeachin were vying for the same subset of hardline conservatives; the same goes, really, for every Republican challenging Little. The more the field narrows, the more it likely favors McGeachin, the best-known of Little’s adversaries.

Second, by running as an independent, Bundy stays in the political picture until November. His odds of winning the GOP primary were limited, anyway.

Third, there is plenty of scorched earth here. In June, state GOP Chairman Tom Luna disavowed Bundy and his “chaotic political theater.” By describing Idaho’s GOP establishment as “full of filth and corruption,” Bundy isn’t exactly backing down.

Reactions

No statement yet from the Little camp. Here are two other statements:

From McGeachin:  “Today’s announcement … makes it all the more clear that there is only one viable conservative candidate in this race. I am, as I have been throughout my campaign, entirely focused on defeating Brad Little and restoring the principles of State Sovereignty, Individual Liberty, and Traditional Conservative Values in Idaho. I strongly support the Idaho Republican Platform, which so many politicians routinely ignore, and I look forward to conservatives from across the state uniting behind our campaign to Make Idaho Free Again.”

From Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Humphreys: “After speaking to thousands of Idahoans in all corners of this state it’s clear to me that Idahoans are tired of career politicians. My team and I remain committed to offering Republicans in Idaho a choice for bold, new and energetic leadership at the top of the ticket. We have many people who attend our events who have never been involved in politics before. This gives me great hope for our future.”

2.16.22: McCrostie won’t seek re-election

Rep. John McCrostie — a music teacher serving on the House Education Committee — says he will not seek re-election in 2022.

McCrostie, D-Garden City, announced his decision in an email to supporters.

He said he began rethinking his political plans after the fall, after he ran unsuccessfully for a City Council seat in Garden City. He said he considered staying in the House, or running for the Senate, where District 16 Sen. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, is stepping down at the end of his term.

“I still find much joy in my classroom with my budding musicians, and I always look forward to returning to them after the session concludes,” McCrostie wrote. “After eight years in the House, I have not found the same joy with this job that I experienced in earlier years.”

In his letter, McCrostie reflected on his journey to the Legislature — which began during the debate over then-state superintendent Tom Luna’s Students Come First laws, overturned by voters in 2012.

“When I waited in line for eight hours over two days to testify for 30 seconds against the Luna Laws, I never imagined that I would eventually carry over 45 pieces of legislation across the floor of the Idaho House.”

McCrostie’s decision somewhat clears the Democratic field in District 16, a Democratic stronghold that takes in Garden City and northwest Boise.

Former Sen. Ali Rabe, D-Boise, has announced she will run for Senate.

Boise teacher Sonia Galaviz has announced she will run for the House on the Democratic ticket.

District 16 Rep. Colin Nash, D-Boise, has said he will seek a second term.

2.15.22: Prominent Boise teacher eyes run for Legislature

A decorated Boise teacher has filed initial paperwork to run for the Legislature.

Soñia Galaviz is looking at running on the Democratic ticket for a House seat in legislative District 16, which takes in Garden City and portions of Northwest Boise.

Galaviz has appointed a campaign treasurer, a precursor to fundraising, and her treasurer is a big name: former Boise School District Superintendent Don Coberly.

District 16 is a Democratic stronghold, and home to two sitting House incumbents: John McCrostie of Garden City and Colin Nash of Boise. Nash says he is seeking re-election. McCrostie did not immediately respond to a request for comment; he has filed a January fundraising reports, but that doesn’t necessarily mean an incumbent will seek re-election.

Candidates cannot formally file for office until Feb. 28, and the filing period runs through March 11.

Galaviz teaches at Boise’s Garfield Elementary School. In 2017, she received the National Education Association’s Member Benefits Award for Teacher Excellence. She also received a 2016 award from Idaho’s STEM Action Center, for her work in advancing the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math.

Click here for a 2015 Idaho Education News profile of Galaviz.

2.15.22: Nye won’t seek re-election; Ruchti to run for Senate

Sen. Mark Nye, D-Pocatello, is stepping aside after eight years in the Legislature.

“I have been involved with the law and representing people for some time,” Nye said in a news release Thursday. “Entered school in 1971, and now, that’s over 50 years ago. It’s time to turn the page and start a new chapter.”

Nye served in the House in 2015 and 2016 and has been in the Senate since then.

Rep. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, will run for Nye’s Senate seat.

Nye is now the sixth senator to announce his departure from the Legislature — either to retire or seek statewide office. And Ruchti is the seventh House member to announce a run for the Senate.

 

 

2.8.22: Zito will not seek re-election

Sen. Christy Zito will step down from the Legislature after her current term.

Zito, R-Hammett, is serving her first term in the Senate, after serving two House terms.

Zito will take a job with the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance, according to the Idaho Dispatch.  (The Dispatch’s editor and publisher, Greg Pruett, is president of the Second Amendment Alliance.)

Zito’s decision creates a Senate opening in legislative District 8, a redrawn district with four other sitting lawmakers: Republican Reps. Megan Blanksma of Hammett, Matthew Bundy of Mountain Home, Terry Gestrin of Donnelly and Dorothy Moon of Stanley. However, Moon is stepping aside from the Legislature to run for secretary of state.

2.8.22: Hartgen files paperwork for Senate run

Rep. Linda Wright Hartgen has filed campaign finance paperwork for a state Senate run.

Hartgen, R-Twin Falls, is in her second term in the House.

She would run for the Senate in the Magic Valley’s legislative District 25. Six-term Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, also lives in District 25. But in December, days after Hartgen announced her plans to run for the Senate, Heider told the Twin Falls Times-News he would not seek re-election.

Hartgen is at least the sixth House Republican looking to move to the Senate, joining Reps. Paul Amador of Coeur d’Alene, Greg Chaney of Caldwell, Ben Adams of Nampa, Codi Galloway of Boise and Laurie Lickley of Jerome.

2.7.22: Stennett will not seek re-election

A significant shakeup in Democratic circles: Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett says she will not seek re-election.

“My time as senator has been an extraordinary and humbling experience for which I am grateful,” Stennett, D-Ketchum, said in a statement Monday. “I will continue to do my best to serve the people of our district and the state until my term ends in December, but will not seek reelection.”

Stennett is in her 12th year in the Legislature, and her 10th year as Senate minority leader.

Stennett’s departure will result in a transition in Democratic leadership. But first, it means Magic Valley Democrats will look for a would-be successor to Stennett — and a candidate to run in a contested race in November.

In late January, Rep. Laurie Lickley, R-Jerome, announced her run for Senate in the Magic Valley’s redrawn legislative District 26. Republican Eric Parker, founder of The Real 3% of Idaho, has also announced his campaign. Stennett defeated Parker in the 2020 election.