2022 Election Guide

Here are my recommendations for November 8

Early voting has already begun, and I have been asked more than once if I have a voter guide for the general election like I did in the primary. So here is my list of endorsements. As a Republican PC I obviously support all nominated Republicans on the ballot, but as the proprietor of Gem State Substack I will give you my unqualified recommendations; the candidates I wholeheartedly support.

This is not a comprehensive list for the entire state! There are many great candidates who are missing, only because I personally have not met them or do not know much about them. When in doubt, vote Republican.

Some great candidates such as Heather Scott in District 2, Judy Boyle in District 9, Brian Lenney in District 13, and Glenneda Zuiderveld in District 24 are unopposed, and so have already won. The latter three defeated establishment figures in the primary and I am looking forward to seeing them all in the Legislature next year.

I invite you to read through this list as you consider your options. There are other great voter guides out there as well, so consider this an additional data point as you make your decisions. Check out ConservativesOf, StopIdahoRINOs, and Idaho Freedom PAC as well. I have linked every candidate to their website or contact info so you can learn more.

State Legislature

Scott Herndon, State Senate, District 1

I had the pleasure of meeting Scott Herndon at the Convention in July and have followed him ever since. He is a husband, a father, a self-driven man, and one of the boldest and most erudite spokesmen for the cause of life I have ever heard. We need Herndon in the Senate next year.

Tammy Nichols, State Senate, District 10

Tammy Nichols is the rock star of the Idaho Republican Party. Unwavering in her defense of liberty, she is also a great communicator of conservative values. She did a great job in the House and now she seeks to make the Senate great again as well.

Mike Moyle, State House, District 10

Mike Moyle was my own representative in LD14 until redistricting. He is a straight shooter who is not afraid to tell you what he believes, even if you might disagree. He seems to prefer the company of regular people to lobbyists, donors, and the media. He is the favorite to be the next Speaker of the House.

C. Scott Grow, State Senate, District 14

Senator Grow has been laser-focused on property tax reform for a long time, and he will be advancing an audacious bill in the next session. With the needed turnover in the Senate now accomplished, Grow will likely be the Chairman of the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee this year.

Ted Hill, State House, District 14

Ted Hill is a veteran naval aviator, a husband and father, and a man who loves America and its heritage. He promises to fight for the values that made this country great in the first place.

Josh Tanner, State House, District 14

Josh Tanner is a business owner and fire commissioner who grew up in the outdoors of Idaho and know what it takes to protect them. He is ready to hit the ground running in the legislature to lower taxes and protect our constitutional rights.

Codi Galloway, State Senate, District 15

Codi Galloway launched an audacious challenge to the traitorous Senator Fred Martin, soundly defeating him in the primary. Now she needs your vote to overcome his Democrat friends. Galloway will be a solid conservative voice in our State Senate.

Steve Keyser, State House, District 15

Steve Keyser is a retired policeman who understands the need for law and order. His opponent is one of the most left-wing members of our Legislature, and Keyser has a great shot at winning.

Dori Healey, State House, District 15

Dori Healey is an advanced practice nurse who will bring a unique perspective to the State House.

Dennis Mansfield, State Senate, District 16

I’ve met Dennis Mansfield a few times and found him to be down to earth and possessing the common sense that is lacking with too many politicians.

Jackie Davidson, State House, District 16

Jackie Davidson has a common sense platform of reducing taxes, protecting our rights, and protecting our children from grooming and indoctrination. She will be a voice of reason in the State House.

Mary Ellen Nourse, Benjamin Chafetz (holding his newborn son), and April Larson

Benjamin Chafetz, State Senate, District 17

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Benjamin Chafetz over the last year. He is a husband, a father, and a confident and motivated defender of America’s Christian heritage and our God-given rights. He will be a tremendous asset in the Senate.

April Larson, State House, District 17

April Larson has a lot of energy and passion for conservative values. She would be a huge upgrade over the incumbent Democrat.

Mary Ellen Nourse, State House, District 17

Mary Ellen Nourse might seem quiet and unassuming at first but she has extensive experience and a very logical mind with substantial plans for how to improve our Legislature.

Blair Moss, James Faasau, and Melissa Christian

Blair Moss, State Senate / Melissa Christian State House / James Faasau State House, District 19

Blair Moss, Melissa Christian, and James Fasaau are the LD19 Republican team. Each brings something unique to the table: Moss has energy and charisma, Christian is extremely knowledgeable about politics, and Faasau has the courage of his convictions that led him to resign from the Navy rather than taking the experimental vaccine. Limousine liberals in Boise’s north end think they own LD19, but hundreds of conservative families are moving into Avimor, Dry Creek, and Hidden Springs who know what it’s like to lose a state, and they will help make sure it doesn’t happen here.

David Worley, State Senate, District 29 / Jake Stevens, State House, District 29

I have not met Worley or Stevens in person but I have been following them from afar. Both are committed to protecting Idaho’s conservative values.

Barbara Ehardt, State House, District 33

Barbara Ehardt is one of the boldest legislators in the entire state. She sponsored a bill to protect girls’ sports from biological males, which painted a target on her back for national LGBTQ+ organizations. Yet she weathered those attacks and will be stronger than ever in the next session.

Sheriff Clifford, Commissioner Beck, Raúl Labrador, and Tom Dayley

Ada County

Rod Beck, Commissioner

Rod Beck is a political veteran who has done right for the people of Ada County. His platform is simple - keep taxes low. His opponent is a sneaky political opportunist who wants to bring left-wing values to Idaho, but he will not succeed. Rod Beck deserves another term as an Ada County Commissioner.

Tom Dayley, Commissioner

Tom Dayley is also a political veteran, having served as far back as the Reagan Administration. He has a lot to share about how to use the authority of government to keep taxes low, improve efficiency, and protect our liberties.

Matthew Clifford, Sheriff

As Eagle Police Chief, Matt Clifford vowed not to cite, fine, or arrest citizens who were living their lives in spite of the governor’s mask mandate and lockdown order. He also supported Eagle become a 2nd Amendment sanctuary city. He is a good leader and deserves a full term as Ada County Sheriff.

Rich Riffle, Coroner

Rich Riffle has twenty-five years of experience in law enforcement, local government, and forensic medicine. He has the perfect blend of experience for the position of Ada County Coroner.

Mary May, Highway District

Mary May has the experience to get things done, a commitment to keep taxes low, and the ability to build consensus between all the stakeholders. Her opponent is a radical socialist who would surely sacrifice your commute in the name of mass transit systems that nobody uses.

College of Western Idaho Trustees

Don’t be fooled by the presence of two leftists on the Ada County GOP voter’s guide. They might technically be registered as Republicans but they are progressive activists who are supported by the abortion lobbies and other left-wing groups. Your candidates for CWI Trustees are Alisha Hickman, Ryan Spoon, Jan Zarr, and Thad Butterworth.

Raúl Labrador speaks in Emmett last week.

Statewide

Raúl Labrador, Attorney General

Raúl Labrador is THE champion of conservative values in Idaho. It is imperative that he be our next Attorney General because he will defend the rights and liberties of the citizens of Idaho against all who would attack them, whether in our federal government or even our own state government.

Russ Fulcher, US Congress, District 1

Congressman Fulcher is one of the good ones in the US House of Representatives. He will continue representative conservative Idaho values in DC.

In the other statewide races, I urge you to vote your conscience. Your decision of who to vote for in the governor’s race, for example, depends on your assessment of where we stand with regards to liberty and rule of law in our state. Are we in a dire enough position with Brad Little that we should play the wild card of Ammon Bundy?

Same with US Senate - Mike Crapo has been in there a long time and knows how the system works, which can be an advantage or a detriment depending upon your perspective, while Scott Cleveland has some good ideas but comes at the system as a complete outsider, which is the same calculus.

In the other races, I generally recommend voting Republican, though as always I suggest doing your own research. Some of these statewide races have third party alternatives, but they are not going to win, and the Republican candidate is better than the Democrat in every case. This is especially true in the Lieutenant Governor race. I believe that Scott Bedke ran a dishonest campaign against Priscilla Giddings in the primary, and I was not happy with how he used his position as Speaker to shut down conservative ideas in the House, but his Democratic opponent is a far-left progressive activist who has built her entire campaign on promoting abortion in Idaho.

Idaho is a red state, but the Democrats are fighting to win. They are spreading lies about our candidates and counting on your apathy toward politics. They hope to eke out a few victories despite the red wave this year in places we might not be paying attention. We must not allow that to happen. Vote America First, and vote Idaho First.