Gem State Substack Endorsements

A continuously updated list of my recommendations for the May 17th GOP primary

I have spent the last four months evaluating the various primary races in my area, making endorsements where I feel it appropriate. Early voting has started, absentee ballots are in the mail, and May 17th is coming soon, so here is my list of recommendations thus far. I will update this page often, so keep checking back until it is complete.

Endorsements are in bold, with links to my posts about each race. Click here to find out what district and precinct you are in. These endorsements are my own personal opinions, and not paid for or influenced by any candidates or political action committee.

Ada County:

Assessor:

• Rebecca Arnold

• Bradley Bolicek

• Ron DeRoest

• Dave Litster

All four candidates are knowledgeable and experienced with business and real estate. Mr. DeRoest is already the deputy assessor, and is prepared to keep that department running efficiently and non-politically. Read more here.

Commissioner, District 2:

• Rod Beck

Mr. Beck is running unopposed. He helped remove mask mandates and returned surplus taxes to county residents.

Commissioner, District 3:

• Tom Dayley

• Dawn Retzlaff

• Sharon Ullmann

Ms. Retzlaff brings a fresh perspective along with thirty years of experience in the LAPD to the Board of Commissioners. Read more here.

Clerk:

• Trent Tripple

Mr. Tripple is running unopposed. He defends the decisions of current clerk Phil McGrane regarding masks and so-called Zuck Bucks, nevertheless he looks to be competent and transparent.

Coroner:

• Cheri Durst

• Rich Riffle

Mrs. Durst does not appear to be actively campaigning for this position. Mr. Riffle is a longtime law enforcement veteran with a lot of experience with the medical examination side of things. I believe he will do a great job.

Sheriff:

• Matt Clifford

• Doug Traubel

Sheriff Clifford is a good man, a good cop, and a good leader. The department has done well under his watch, and will continue to do well should he prevail. Mr. Traubel, however, has a unique vision for what we can do to save liberty and freedom in our society. Read more here.

Treasurer:

• Beth Mahn

Ms. Mahn is the incumbent and is running unopposed. She comes across as extremely knowledgeable and competent, and is friendly and personable as well.

District 10:

House Seat A:

• Rachel Hazelip

• Mike Moyle

I briefly met Ms. Hazelip recently and she came across as having strong conservative convictions. Rep. Moyle is on our side more often than not, however, and if he wins he will be speaker, which would be an upgrade from the current incumbent.

House Seat B:

• Beverlee Furner

• Coral Kenagy

• Bruce Skaug

I have not looked deeply into this race, but from what I know Rep. Skaug is a solid conservative.

Senate:

• Scott Brock

• Tammy Nichols

This is the easiest choice in the entire Treasure Valley. Rep. Nichols is a rock-star conservative and will be a great asset to the Senate. Mr. Brock, on the other hand, is supported by The Idaho 97 and has engaged in severely dishonest campaigning.

District 14:

House Seat A:

• Ted Hill

• Caleb Hoobery

• Tracey Koellisch

• Mike Olsen

Mike Olsen stands out in a race full of great candidates. He will bring a fresh perspective and sharp mind to the legislature. Read more here.

House Seat B:

• Gayann DeMordaunt

• Josh Tanner

I like Mr. Tanner and his positions, but Rep. DeMordaunt is a strong conservative voice in our legislature and one of our most effective delegates. Read more here.

Senate:

• C. Scott Grow

• Steven Thayn

Senator Grow is a likeable man and has powerful influence over tax policy. I strongly support his bill to eliminate property taxes. However, Senator Thayn, the chairman of the Education Committee, has a deep understanding of the problems in American culture with regard to the balance between government and the family, and I believe we need that perspective in the Senate. Read more here.

District 15:

House Seat A:

• Ruthie Bush

• Steve Keyser

I have not looked into this race yet. Ms. Bush withdrew from the race after filing.

House Seat B:

• Dori Healey

I have not looked into this race, but Ms. Healey is running unopposed.

Senate:

• Codi Galloway

• Dorothy Greenzang

• Fred Martin

Senator Martin is one of the worst Republicans in Idaho. As chairman of the Health and Welfare committee, Martin blocked many good medical freedom bills. Rep. Galloway, on the other hand, is one of the best young conservatives in the legislature, and a victory here would dramatically improve the composition of the Senate.

District 20:

House Seat A:

• Joe Palmer

• Gloria Urwin

I know very little about this race. Ms. Urwin is running on a slate with Mr. Hon and Ms. Martinez.

House Seat B:

• James Holtzclaw

• Mike Hon

Rep. Holtzclaw is not the worst in the House, however I have gotten to know Mr. Hon and found him to be articulate and focused on protecting children from the scourge of deviancy that is being pushed through our schools and libraries. We need his voice in the legislature.

Senate:

• Mark Johnson

• Rosa Martinez

• Ryan Spoon

• Chuck Winder

Ms. Martinez is running a very spirited campaign against a powerful incumbent. Sen. Winder often uses his power to obstruct good conservative legislation. Last session he called H.666, the bill to protect children from obscene materials in schools and libraries, “crazy”. Time for him to retire. (Mr. Johnson and Mr. Spoon dropped out after filing.)

Statewide:

Governor:

• Steve Bradshaw

• Ed Humphreys

• Brad Little

• Janice McGeachin

Governor Little deserves to lose his reelection bid after abusing his authority under an indefinite state of emergency to shut down our businesses and churches and rule Idaho like a king. I believe that Mr. Humphreys has the most solid plan to seriously change our government. He is articulate and passionate, and has a deep understanding of finance. However, Lieutenant Governor McGeachin also has a good plan, and a long record of working for the people of Idaho. I fervently hope they do not split the conservative vote and allow Governor Little to win with a mere plurality as he did in 2018. Read more here. And even more here.

Lieutenant Governor:

• Scott Bedke

• Priscilla Giddings

Speaker Bedke is the choice of leftist groups, big business, big pharma, and corporate media. Rep. Giddings is the clear choice of the people of Idaho. She has never been afraid to fight anyone standing in the way of liberty, and we desperately need her to win this race. Read more here.

Attorney General:

• Raúl Labrador

• Art Macomber

• Lawrence Wasden

General Wasden is a career politician who has shown his willingness to twist the State Constitution at the behest of his friend, Governor Little. His campaign has been petulant, as if he is offended that anyone would dare challenge him. While Mr. Macomber has a brilliant legal mind and solid conservative positions, he simply does not have the name recognition to defeat the incumbent. Mr. Labrador - a former congressman, former chairman of the Idaho Republican Party, and a few votes short of becoming our governor - has that recognition, as well as the principles and experience we need in this position. Read more here.

Secretary of State:

• Phil McGrane

• Dorothy Moon

• Mary Souza

Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane forced poll watchers to wear masks in 2020 and accepted money from Mark Zuckerberg’s Center for Tech and Civic Life, which was used in many states to tip the scales of our elections. He does not grasp how the left uses positions such as Secretary of State to take over red states. Senator Souza understands this, and is committed to election integrity, however Rep. Moon is just as committed but is even more prepared to handle this executive department. Read more here.

Superintendent of Public Instruction:

• Debbie Critchfield

• Branden Durst

• Sherri Ybarra

Both the incumbent Superintendent Ybarra and Ms. Critchfield want to say that divisive racial politics and sexual deviancy are not a problem in our schools. Mr. Durst is the only candidate who recognizes these evil idealogies for what they are, and is willing to stop them. This is the great battle of our time, and Durst is ready to fight it. Read more here.

Controller:

• Brandon Woolf

Mr. Woolf is running unopposed, so I have not dedicated much time to investigating him. However I am told by people I trust that he is extremely competent and transparent.

Treasurer:

• Julie Ellsworth

Ms. Ellsworth is running unopposed, so I have not investigated her.