Idaho 2B incumbent challenged by independent

Dale Hawkins, a Republican from Fernwood who had one of the highest scores on the Idaho Freedom Foundation rankings during his first two sessions in the Idaho House, is seeking to retain his District 2B seat.

The incumbent is up against two opponents: an independent whose family roots in Idaho go back to 1896 and a Libertarian whose campaign seems to be on autopilot.

Those challengers are Tami Holdahl, of St. Maries, and Jennifer Luoma, of Bayview.

The Tribune attempted to contact Hawkins and Holdahl for this story, and only Holdahl responded. The Tribune didn’t contact Luoma, who doesn’t have a campaign website and has raised no money for her candidacy, according to the Idaho Secretary of State’s election website.

Hawkins’ website lists his top issues as property tax relief, parental rights, quality education, personal property rights, and First and Second Amendment rights. He also calls for no sales tax on food.

During the 2024 session, Hawkins voted in favor of House Bill 521, which did pass and will divert sales tax revenue to help school districts pay for facility maintenance. The bill also adds some money to an existing property tax relief fund and reduces individual and corporate income taxes.

But lawmakers didn’t adjust Idaho’s Homestead Exemption, which is supposed to shield half of a modest home’s assessed valuation from property tax evaluation.

Hawkins voted against the Idaho Launch program during the 2023 session, which nevertheless passed and is designed to provide $8,500 grants to 12,000 young Idahoans, enabling them to get the training they need for the better-paying jobs that go unfilled in the state’s economy.

Holdahl said she supports Idaho Launch, as well as “bringing the trade programs back to our high schools.”

“I really feel like we need to help set these kids up for success,” she said. “If we help set them up ... with the opportunities to go into a trade, to go into a good-paying job, it’s a great investment for the state of Idaho, because they are now productive human beings. Crime goes down. They pay taxes. It’s good for our economy.”

Signs indicate that school choice — which would allow families to access state funds to send their children to private schools — will be a major topic during the 2025 legislative session.

Hawkins’ website doesn’t make it clear if he’s in favor of school choice, but he does say that “parents possess all the rights over their children, their children’s education, their children’s medical needs and everything that encompasses the relationship in the family.”

Holdahl unequivocally said she is against state funds going to private education, citing the Idaho Constitution’s requirement that the Legislature establish “a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools.”

Holdahl’s family first settled in Deary in 1896. She has lived in St. Maries all of her life and was a law enforcement officer for 24 years, wrapping up her career as the chief of police in the Shoshone County community of Pinehurst.

She said she wants the Legislature to “get back to serving the people.” Some bills that came up — such as a measure to expand the state’s cannibalism law presented by District 2A Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard — are a “waste of time.”

Holdahl said she’s been to “every single city” in far-flung District 2, which includes all of Clearwater, Shoshone and Benewah counties, and parts of Kootenai and Bonner counties.

Providing property tax relief would also be a priority for Holdahl, though she didn’t have a specific method in mind.

“I’m not a property tax expert ... but there’s definitely ways to lower taxes for the middle, working class,” she said.

Baney may be contacted at mbaney@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2262. Follow him on X @MattBaney_Trib.