Most voters are aware of the big races. Governor Little is running for reelection but is being challenged by independent candidate Ammon Bundy and a Democrat nobody has ever heard of. Senator Mike Crapo is being challenged by independent candidate Scott Cleveland (see our interview here) and radical Democrat David Roth.
Tuned-in voters are surely aware of their local races for State House and State Senate, and maybe seats such as county commissioner as well. But there are many races that do not attract much attention yet are still key if we are to save our culture and our state. Make sure you turn your ballot to pages two and three to find these candidates and issues!
First up is the trustees for the College of Western Idaho. CWI is a local state-affiliated community college, and so the trustees of the college are elected by the voters. This is exactly the sort of thing that is often taken over by leftists, who see community colleges as a space for activism. Conservatives, on the other hand, often assume things will just keep working as they always have. My friend Ryan Spoon is running for trustee, alongside three other solid conservatives: Alisha Hickman, Jan Zarr, and Thad Butterworth. I urge you to vote for all four!
Next up is the Ada County Highway District. Not many people are aware of how much influence ACHD has on transportation. Here in Eagle, the city actually does not manage its own roadways - that is the responsibility of ACHD. Who we elect as ACHD Commissioners will have enormous influence over our quality of life as it relates to traffic.
You might not think that political affiliation would play a role in this job, but it does. Former Eagle City Council Member Miranda Gold, an outspoken socialist, is challenging incumbent Republican Mary May in ACHD District 3. If elected, she would surely shift the focus of the highway district toward left-wing priorities such as mass transit and bicycling at the expense of making life easier for the tens of thousands of people who rely on our roads to live, work, and play. Leftists always look to cities such as Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco for inspiration, yet never take responsibility for the inevitable consequences.
Vote Mary May for ACHD District 3. I have gotten to meet Ms. May several times recently and she is pleasant, thoughtful, and a good communicator. She has the trust of the mayors of the cities she serves and will continue to build bridges (metaphorical and literal!) in our community.
The other ACHD race is District 4, where incumbent Kent Goldthorpe faces Neil Durrant. I am not as familiar with this race, but my friend Kim Wickstrum, the Ada County GOP State Committeewoman, had this to say:
“Goldthorpe has proven time and again to vote with the democrats to raise our taxes, until public pressure has made him reverse his vote. I have dealt with Goldthorpe personally on two major issues, and was discouraged with his attitude and vote. Neil Durrant would get my vote.”
Ada County Sheriff is an easy pick - I am confident that Matt Clifford will continue managing this important department while protecting our constitutional rights. As Eagle Police Chief, Sheriff Clifford said at the start of the covid lockdowns that he would not be issuing tickets or arresting people for not wearing masks. Do you think a Democrat will stand up for your liberties like that?
Rebecca Arnold might not have been my first choice for Ada County Assessor, but I am confident she will do a solid job of fairly assessing properties and maintaining an open and transparent office.
Rich Riffle is a good man with many years of experience in public service, law enforcement, and forensic medicine. He will make a good Ada County Coroner. As with ACHD, you would not think that party affiliation should matter in some of these public service roles, but in the current year we know that Democrats will use every opportunity to push their agenda.
Every voter in Ada County has a chance to vote for county commissioners, no matter which district they represent. This year, Rod Beck and Tom Dayley are the Republicans on the ballot, and they both have my unqualified endorsements. Mr. Beck is being challenged by former Eagle Mayor Stan Ridgeway, who used to call himself a conservative before showing his true left wing colors. I suspect this race is just a holding pattern before he tries to take Eagle back next year, either as a mayoral candidate or as the power behind the throne. Either way, let’s send him a message that Ada County is tired of his games.
The rest of the races on page two of your ballot are judges, but unfortunately there is no easy way to evaluate their performance. The way Idaho judges are selected is completely broken, and I hope that the legislature has time to reform this process soon. Kim Wickstrum commented on the judicial ballot:
“I wish I knew. Currently they have a system in place where judges can resign and choose their replacements...and then ask us to "vote to retain" their replacements, as if we have a choice! It is awful. We the people really have no say. Our Rep Mike Moyle had a great bill that would have stopped this, passed both the House and Senate, but Little vetoed it. Right or wrong, I never vote for any of the judges...it's my way of protesting. As far as I know, there is no way to even view their records.”
On page three you will find two questions:
The first is SJR-102, a constitutional amendment that would allow the legislature to call itself into session with the consent of 60% of each body. Remember how the legislature adjourned in spring of 2020, only for Governor Little to declare a state of emergency and unilaterally make rules and spend federal disaster money with no oversight? This amendment would remedy that loophole for the future. I remember watching Rep. Gayann DeMordaunt introduce this idea as a resolution in the 2020 GOP Convention in Nampa, have watched it go through the legislative process, and next month I will finally be able to vote on it. I urge you to also vote YES on SJR-102.
The final question is an advisory vote on the recent special session bill that involved a tax refund, tax cuts, and allocated money for education. It is entirely symbolic, I do not even know why they bothered putting it on the ballot. HB-1 was passed by the legislature in September and is a done deal.
This is shaping up to be more than a red wave, it is going to be a tsunami as patriotic Americans wake up to the disaster that is Democratic leadership. Idaho is not a battleground like Arizona, Pennsylvania, or Georgia, but we have an opportunity on November 8th to strengthen our political institutions at all levels. Idaho can be even redder - let’s make it happen!
Great assessments, Brian! The down ballot races are incredibly important, as you said. Your endorsements ring true. (Again, I hope everyone who cherishes our freedom will support Bundy for Governor and Cleveland for US Senate.)
Regarding community colleges, Idaho Speaks has done an excellent series of interviews with North Idaho College (NIC) Trustees. See https://idahospeaks.com/tag/nic/. Although Ada County cannot vote for NIC Trustees, the candidates discuss general issues faced by community colleges. It's worth a listen to understand how important these colleges are to Idaho's communities and future.
As for magistrate judges, you're 100% correct. The system is BROKEN! Magistrate judges are little-known yet wield great power over people's lives. Magistrate Court includes Civil, Juvenile, Traffic and Misdemeanor Criminal, and Domestic Violence.
I recommend everyone Vote NO on magistrate judge retention unless you know the judge is excellent. A non-retention vote creates a vacancy, and a new judge will be appointed. Voting NO is more secure than leaving the ballot blank.
More details about magistrate judges follow:
Magistrate Judges are selected by a District Magistrates Commission for an initial 18-month probationary term. Commission evaluates judges just before 18-month term expires, and decides whether to end probation, extend it, or remove judge from office. Following successful probation, magistrate judges enter a four-year term, after which they are subject to a retention election by voters every four years.
Selection Process: https://ballotpedia.org/Idaho_Magistrate_Division
Magistrates Commission: https://adacounty.id.gov/judicial-court/magistrate-court/magistrate-commission/