Peery knocking on doors in bid to upset Scott for District 2A seat

Loree Peery was inspired to run for a seat in the Idaho House by what she views as the troubling behavior of her opponent.

The Democrat from Post Falls is facing Republican incumbent and conservative firebrand Heather Scott, of Blanchard, in a contest for the District 2A seat in the Idaho House.

“When a representative in my district runs unopposed and introduces a bill to combat cannibalism, there is something wrong with this picture,” she said. “I don’t want this person to run unopposed again. This person is not representative of the state of Idaho.”

Scott, who did not respond to an interview request from the Tribune, was first elected to the legislature in 2014. Since then, she has established herself as one its more conservative members and is co-chairperson of the Idaho Freedom Caucus. Last year, she introduced legislation that would have expanded the state’s ban on eating human flesh. The bill, apparently inspired by a prank-based television show, did not pass.

But Peery couldn’t believe it was even introduced and said it is illustrative of her opponent’s lack of seriousness.

Peery is pro-choice and said Idaho’s abortion ban, which Scott supports, has made it more dangerous for women to give birth in Idaho. She noted some physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology have opted to leave the state, and some hospitals have closed labor and delivery facilities. The abortion ban makes it a crime for doctors to provide abortions even when the health or future fertility of a woman is at risk.

“I was a junior in high school when Roe vs. Wade became the law of the land and as an adult we have always had reproductive choice. I don’t like going backward,” Peery said. “What women decide is their decision and not the politicians’ decision.”

If elected, Peery said she would work to increase state funding for public education and to prevent the legislature from interfering with the curriculum.

“The constitution of Idaho states the Legislature is supposed to fully fund education. Instead of doing that, they are relying on levees,” she said. “Sometimes they pass up here and sometimes they don’t. It’s a real struggle. I think the legislature needs to do their job and fund the schools instead of passing the bill off to taxpayers.”

She is against school vouchers that would help parents who send their kids to private schools pay tuition. Peery said it will pull already scarce funding out of public school budgets.

“I don’t like giving taxpayers money away to private schools or Christian schools or homeschools with no accountability.”

Peery wants to work on providing property tax relief. She supports LGBTQ rights, diversity and equality, and fair pay for workers. To get her message out, she has been knocking on doors in the sprawling district that is centered in Shoshone and Benewah counties and parts of Kootenai and Bonner counties in the Idaho Panhandle but includes Clearwater County in north central Idaho.

While the district is dominated by Republicans, Peery said her message has been well received. She noted some Republicans have viewed her as a curiosity.

“The Republicans are shocked sometimes,” she said. “We have a certain image, Democrats have an image and are sort of vilified. They are kind of relieved to see I am a normal person.”

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273.