Asking political candidates about their stance on school choice or special education funding is small potatoes compared with an arguably more important question in the Gem State:

What’s your favorite way to eat an Idaho spud?

EdNews asked 30 legislative candidates and found the topic can be a real hot potato. Some like it baked, some like it mashed and some can’t pick one way to prepare a spud. For others, it’s not so much how the potato is cooked, but the company you share while digging into a tasty tuber.

“You’ll never go wrong if you make them with zest,” wrote House candidate Julianne Young. “Enjoy them with some of the folks you love best.”

The baked potato reigns supreme in Idaho, according to our survey. Ten candidates prefer them baked, and most agree about the toppings — the more the merrier.

“I love a baked potato with all the fixins!” wrote Sen. Jim Woodward.

House candidates James Lamborn and Chad Christensen like their baked taters loaded with butter, bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions. Lamborn added that he likes a nice salted skin.

Senate candidate Rep. Lori McCann agrees. She wants all the trimmings.

“The inside must be nice and fluffy, but I like the skin to be well done, even a little crunchy,” McCann wrote. “Nothing better than an Idaho spud!”

For Rep. Cornell Rasor, location is as important as the preparation. He likes his baked potato with chives, butter and sour cream — around a campfire.

Rep. Mike Veile kept his answer simple. “Baked….”

One candidate who prefers baked potatoes couldn’t help himself from jabbing at Uncle Sam.

“Baked, loaded, from my own garden,” wrote Senate candidate Scott Herndon. “There is no better reminder of what Idaho is all about than growing your own food on your own land — without the government sending you a bill for it.”

In second place comes mashed potatoes, with four votes.

“Can’t beat mashed potatoes!” wrote House candidate Colton Bennett.

Reps. Rick Cheatum and Ben Fuhriman like gravy over a big mound of mashed spuds. “It just doesn’t get more Idaho than that,” Fuhriman wrote.

House candidate Carlos Hernandez likes mashed Russett Burbanks.

“There is a reason Idaho grows them by the millions,” Hernandez wrote. “Butter, cream, a little salt, and you have something that cannot be improved upon.”

Three candidates prefer French fries.

Rep. Lucas Cayler bakes his fries with a light coating of olive oil and dips them in fry sauce.

House candidate Alexandra Caval takes her fries with a burger and a cold drink. Meanwhile, Sen. Dan Foreman is a man of few words. “French fries,” he wrote.

A few candidates stand alone in their preferences.

Rep. Sonia Galaviz, who is running for the Senate, likes “hangover” hash browns. But the school teacher clarified that no actual hangover is needed to enjoy them.

Christa Hazel, a House candidate, said there’s nothing like a crispy tater tot to make you feel like a kid again.

House candidate Bryce Blankenship loves a classic potato chip, but French fries are a close second.

For other candidates, there are too many options to hash out.

Rep. Rod Furniss loves them every way: Baked with butter, mashed with garlic, baby potatoes in the microwave, hash browns and potato chips. “I can’t decide.”

Rep. Elaine Price said she takes her taters one bite at a time. Doesn’t matter if they’re mashed, fried, baked, French cut or sauced. “We are blessed to live in this beautiful state with all it has to offer.”

Democrats and Republicans alike responded to our survey. Each of the six Democrats had a different preference.

House candidate Megan Woller slices her tubers into circles and bakes them. “These cannot be enjoyed without dipping them in homemade fry sauce!”

House candidate Jeffrey Watkins cooks his taters in the air fryer. “Just need some oil, salt, and whatever herbs and spices best accompany the meal.”

Kathy Dawes, who is running for the House, was the only Democrat to side with the majority. She prefers a baked potato. “It is my ‘go to’ meal whenever I need comfort food!”

The most elaborate response came from Young. She wrote her answers with a rhyme, and believes you can’t go wrong with a potato at mealtime.

“Sprinkled with salt, drizzled with butter

Roasted with garlic, seasoned to smother

Au gratin or hasselback served on a plate

Potatoes with gravy will always be great.”

Election Day is a week away, on May 19. Read our voter information guide, election coverage and Ballot Beat blog before casting your vote with these potato preferences in mind.

EdNews full survey responses: What is your favorite way to eat a spud?

District 1

• Sen. Jim Woodward (R)
  • I love a baked potato with all the fixins!
• Senate candidate Scott Herndon (R)
  • Baked, loaded, from my own garden. There is no better reminder of what Idaho is all about than growing your own food on your own land — without the government sending you a bill for it. Oh, and with my wife.
• Rep. Cornell Rasor (R)
  • Baked, with chives, butter and sour cream around a campfire.

District 4

• Rep. Elaine Price (R)
  • One bite at a time. I enjoy a good spud whether it’s mashed, fried, baked, French cut, or sauced. We are blessed to live in this beautiful state with all it has to offer.
• House candidate Christa Hazel (R)
  • There’s nothing like a crispy, salty tater tot to make you feel like a kid again.

District 6

• Sen. Dan Foreman (R)
  • French fries.
• Senate candidate Rep. Lori McCann (R)
  • I have to say my favorite way to eat a spud is a baked potato with all the trimmings. The inside must be nice and fluffy, but I like the skin to be well done, even a little crunchy. Nothing better than an Idaho spud!
• Senate candidate Richard Gayler (D)
  • With butter, cottage cheese and broccoli.
• House candidate Colton Bennett (R)
  • Can’t beat mashed potatoes!
• House candidate Bryce Blankenship (D)
  • Through and through… I love a good ol’ classic potato chip. Lightly salted, crunchy, delicious. (French fries are a very very close second).
• House candidate Kathy Dawes (D)
  • I love a classic Idaho baked potato with butter, sour cream, and chives! It is my ‘go to’ meal whenever I need comfort food!

District 8

• House candidate Brian Beckley (R)
  • As a sixth-generation Idahoan and many of my cousins as potato farmers. A big Baker, with butter, sour cream, salt and pepper and maybe, just maybe some shredded cheese from one of our Idaho Dairy’s. So tasty!!!

District 11

• Senate candidate Chris Trakel (R)
  • Baked and loaded with (probably too much) butter, cheese, sour cream, and chives.
• House candidate Carlos Hernandez (R)
  • Mashed potatoes, made with Russet Burbanks. There is a reason Idaho grows them by the millions. Butter, cream, a little salt, and you have something that cannot be improved upon.
• Rep. Lucas Cayler (R)
  • Cut it up into fries, lightly coat in olive oil, bake and eat in fry sauce. 🙂

District 16

• Senate candidate Rep. Soñia Galaviz (D)
  • “Hangover” hashbrowns (no actual hangover is needed to enjoy these).
• House candidate Megan Woller (D)
  • I am a proud Idaho spud! My grandma Consuelo even sorted potatoes at Simplot for ten years. My favorite way to eat spuds is to slice them into circles and bake them. These cannot be enjoyed without dipping them in homemade fry sauce!
• House candidate Jeffrey Watkins (D)
  • I’m not 30 yet, so I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say this… but I received an air-fryer from my parents last year, and I love air-frying diced potatoes! Just need some oil, salt, and whatever herbs and spices best accompany the meal.

District 24

• House candidate Alexandra Caval (R)
  • French fries with a burger and a cold drink.

District 28

• Senate candidate David Worley (R)
  • My wife makes amazing oven roasted potatoes.
• Rep. Rick Cheatum (R)
  • Mashed with Country Gravy.
• House candidate James Lamborn (R)
  • My favorite way to eat a spud is baked with a salted skin and fully loaded—butter, bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream, and of course, you can’t forget the green onions.
• House candidate Mike Saville (R)
  • Sour cream, butter, and chives.

District 30

• Rep. Ben Fuhriman (R)
  • It might be boring, but I’m a big fan of mashed potatoes and gravy. It just doesn’t get more Idaho than that.
• House candidate Julianne Young (R)
  • Fried, baked, boiled, or grilled; Mashed, whipped, toasted, or peeled. Sprinkled with salt, drizzled with butter, Roasted with garlic, seasoned to smother— Au gratin or hasselback served on a plate, Potatoes with gravy will always be great. Grate them and fry them, slice them or dice them, Stuff them or puff them, chip them or chop them. Tot them or pot them, shred them or bread them— You’re sensing the gist: You’ll never go wrong if you make them with zest And enjoy them with some of the folks you love best.

District 31

• Rep. Rod Furniss (R)
  • That is the hardest question! I love them every way! I have never had a bad spud. Bakers with butter, mashed with garlic, baby potatoes from the microwave with butter, hashbrowns, or potato chips! I can’t decide.
• House candidate Karey Hanks (R)
  • Our family grew spuds for over 40 years, and I continue to drive a truck in harvest, so I love eating potatoes every way I can think of!

District 32

• Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen (R)
  • My favorite way to enjoy potatoes is to parboil baby potatoes, cut them up, and crisp them in butter with fresh herbs.

District 35

• Rep. Mike Veile (R)
  • baked….
• House candidate Chad Christensen (R)
  • I would have to say baked with lots of butter. Then top it with sour cream, bacon, cheese, chives, green onions. Loaded!