Idaho’s teachers’ union hopes to see a lot of new faces in the Capitol next year. 

The Idaho Education Association’s political arm endorsed 32 candidates in next week’s primary election — half of whom are vying to unseat incumbent legislators. Notably absent, however, were endorsements in statewide races, including for governor.

The endorsements, which came from IEA’s Political Action Committee for Education (PACE), followed a “structured, multi-step” process, including questionnaires, interviews, recommendations from local educators and a vote by PACE members, according to the group’s voter guide. Candidates who earned an endorsement have “positions, experience and engagement” that “reflect a strong commitment to public education.”

PACE also highlighted 18 candidates who didn’t earn an endorsement but have voting records and positions or have made public statements that “indicate they are supportive of public education.” These candidates “have not completed the full PACE endorsement process, which may mean they have not yet submitted materials, participated in interviews or actively sought an endorsement,” the voter guide says. 

Click here to see the list of endorsements and “education-friendly candidates.”

The group’s voter guide noted where incumbent candidates stood on three bills the Legislature passed over the last two sessions: 

• House Bill 93, creating the state’s first private school choice program. IEA joined a lawsuit that unsuccessfully challenged the program.
• Senate Bill 1288, creating a $5 million fund to support high-needs special education students, which IEA supported. 
• House Bill 516, barring school districts from using public resources to accommodate teachers’ unions, which IEA opposed.  

While nine incumbents earned endorsements, 16 of the PACE-backed candidates are running to unseat current lawmakers, either during the primary election or during the November general election. 

Six endorsed candidates — and two “education-friendly” candidates — are challenging members of the Gang of Eight, a faction of GOP lawmakers that takes hardline stances on fiscal policy, including frequently opposing budget increases for public schools. All eight members of the group opposed SB 1288, the high-needs funding legislation. 

PACE also endorsed some Democrats challenging Republican leaders, including: 

• Amanda Easley, who’s set to face House Majority Leader Jason Monks, R-Meridian, in the general election for a District 22 House seat. Both candidates are unopposed in the primary. Monks co-sponsored HB 93, the private school choice program.
• Karlie Easley, who’s running unopposed in the Democratic primary for the District 22 Senate seat. Easley will face the winner of the Republican primary contest between Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, and Josh Haver. Den Hartog also co-sponsored HB 93.
• Valerie Ruxton, who’s set to face incumbent Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, in the general election for a District 14 House seat. Both candidates are unopposed in the primary. Tanner co-chairs the budget-setting Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.

And the group weighed in on races that could affect the makeup of next year’s House Education Committee. PACE endorsed: 

• Carlos Hernandez, a Republican, over incumbent Rep. Kent Marmon, R-Caldwell, in a District 11 House race. 
• Alexandra Caval, a Republican, over incumbent Rep. Clint Hostetler, R-Twin Falls, in a District 24 House race. 
• Connor Cook, a Republican, over incumbent Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, in a District 33 House race. 

PACE also endorsed all three Democrats — Rep. Steve Berch, Nancy Gregory and Jae Etchart — running in West Boise’s District 15, one of the state’s most competitive swing districts. 

Meanwhile, eight of the nine incumbents whom PACE endorsed voted against HB 516, the bill restricting teachers’ union activities. The one exception was Rep. Rick Cheatum, R-Pocatello. PACE also gave incumbent Rep. Rod Furniss, R-Rigby, its “education-friendly” label, despite his support for HB 516.

IEA spokesman Mike Journee said Wednesday that the Cheatum endorsement reflected the “nuance” of PACE’s vetting process, which considers the “whole candidate.” 

“It’s not always clear-cut,” Journee said by phone. “His vote on that bill was unfortunate, and our members let him know that as part of the process. But they did take his entire voting record into consideration.”

Last month, IEA members issued a “vote of no confidence” in Gov. Brad Little after he signed the “union-busting” HB 516 into law. Little, who’s running for reelection, didn’t get an endorsement from the union’s political arm, nor did any of the other seven candidates running for governor in the GOP primary.

But HB 516 wasn’t the only piece of legislation that IEA members considered before “overwhelmingly” voting to censure the governor. The union also pointed to Little’s support for HB 93, Idaho’s first program subsidizing tuition in K-12 private schools. Cheatum and Furniss opposed the bill. 

Journee said PACE didn’t make an official decision to avoid endorsements in the governor’s race or the other statewide races. Part of the endorsement process involves candidates seeking the union’s support, he said. But IEA’s vote last month is “a good barometer of how our members are feeling right now about the governor,” he added. 

PACE could still endorse candidates in statewide races before the general election, Journee said. Four Democrats, two Libertarians, one Constitution Party member and one independent are also running for governor.

State superintendent Debbie Critchfield is running unopposed in the GOP primary, but she’s set to have two opponents in the general election.