Chmelik, Harris offer similar views

Two conservative Republicans are vying to represent Idaho’s 7th Legislative District and replace Rep. Mike Kingsley, who opted not to seek reelection.

Former Idaho County Commissioner Jim Chmelik, of Cottonwood, and Kyle Harris, of Lewiston, will face off in the Republican primary election Tuesday. The winner will face Democrat Vickie Nostrant of Lewiston, who is running unopposed in her primary.

Both men oppose gender identity issues being taught in public schools, both supported the bill — now a law — that allows library patrons to challenge books they deem harmful to children, both oppose dam breaching and both support transfer of federal public lands to states.

Harris and Chmelik also share a concern with public education funding. Chmelik said the current system doesn’t work for rural Idaho, where school districts often struggle to approve both supplemental and capital improvement levies.

“The education formula is totally broken,” he said. “Rural communities are faced with staggering problems with how to fund rural schools.”

Harris, who has two young children in the Lewiston School District, wants the federal government to stay out of local education issues and said he supports the voucher concept that would give families who send their children to private schools a share of state education funding.

His only caveat is that families that homeschool have the ability to opt out of state funding and any attached education testing or standards.

He likens vouchers to charter schools and said more choice will create competition that will prompt school districts to make better use of state funding and spend less on programs and employees not directly involved in education.

“We can fix the problem but it has to come with competition,” he said. “Without competition, no one is going to do anything.”

He supports small government and low taxes.

“There will always be taxes,” he said. “The money has to go to something and I would let it go to education, law enforcement and things that are necessary. We have a lot of unnecessary programs.”

Chmelik said his six-year record as a county commissioner proves he knows how to safeguard tax dollars and keep taxes low.

“In those years we had a two percent increase in property taxes and two percent increase in employee wages,” he said. “We saved the county hundreds of thousands of dollars. I think we did a lot of good things.”

Chmelik, originally from Maryland, has lived in Idaho County for decades. He farms, manages his own timber ground and runs a cabinet building business.

Although he is conservative, Chmelik said he doesn’t care for intraparty fighting or denigrating people as RINOs or not conservative enough. He said he won’t join the Idaho Freedom Caucus and has cultivated friendships with many of the state’s establishment Republicans even though he sometimes disagrees with them.

“I have never burned any bridges,” he said. “Someday I may need them and they may need me.”

Harris moved to Orofino from Kent, Wash., in 2010 and later moved to Lewiston. He owns and operates Modern Electric, an electrical contracting business.

“I’m just a regular blue-collar dude,” he said.

Harris is the Republican committeeperson for Precinct 6 in Nez Perce County, his first elected position. He said his lack of experience is a positive attribute.

“I think it’s time to get somebody down there (the statehouse in Boise) with fresh ideas and a different outlook,” he said. “Someone who is hungry and wants to fight for it.”

Name: Kyle Harris

Office sought: Idaho’s 7th Legislative District House A seat.

Political party affiliation: Republican.

Age: 41

Occupation: Electrician

Education: Workforce training at LCSC to become a journeyman electrician

Family status: Married for 17 years, two children

Previous or current elected positions: Nez Perce County Republican Precinct 6 Committeeperson.

Web or social media site: votekyleharris.com/ facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557096373155

Jim Chmelik

Office sought: Idaho’s 7th Legislative District House A seat.

Political party affiliation: Republican.

Age: 64

Occupation: Farmer, own and operate cabinet business

Family status: Married for 36 years with eight children and 13 grandchildren plus one more on the way

Education: Bachelor of Science degree in finance and a minor in economics from the University of Maryland.

Previous or current elected positions: member of Idaho County Commission for six years