Stop running photo
Could you please show some compassion for the parents of the four young college students who were murdered in Moscow, and quit putting the picture of the accused murderer in the paper when you do an article about the murders?
I can’t imagine how hard that must be for them. Thank you.
Nick Hasselstrom
Clarkston
Vote true conservatives
I find it interesting and unsettling that political candidates migrate from out of state to seep into and infiltrate local and state politics with outside agendas.
Ammon Bundy is an example. (As far as I know, he is currently a fugitive from Idaho living in Utah.) Current examples are Larry Dunn and Kyle Harris, both running for state offices with manifestos nearly word for word derived from Bundy’s website.
Our traditional conservative lifestyle here in Idaho is being threatened. We have to pay attention and don’t let them sneek in the door. Jim Chmelik and Charlie Shepard are the true local Idaho conservative candidates with traditional Idaho values. Let’s keep Idaho Idahoan.
Steve Munson
Grangeville
Conduct due diligence
There are plenty of thoughts, opinions and information about the May 21 voting. Most of them are on either side of the local school levy: history, rationalizations, encouragement, explanations, etc. Be certain to conduct your own due diligence on the topic. Don’t overlook not-trivial “facts”: The state constitution “requires” the state Legislature to fund our public schools. It “does not” authorize/direct the Legislature to delegate that responsibility/authority to other governmental entities.
Children are our future and they deserve a quality education. True. Perhaps our elected officials do not share our values of our children? Do our children deserve current voters kicking the can down the road for their generation to resolve? The onus is on us to stimulate change. If not, in the future, our children will be saddled with this ineptitude.
Don’t vote for any incumbent or candidate, at any governmental office level, if their record (or, if not in office, their stance) proves/states their actions (record) to resolve school funding, per the constitution. Have any of your county commissioners or staff utilized the Idaho Association of Counties to stimulate our state Legislature? This is what the association is there for.
Ask these questions at candidate sessions, public forums and in the press, etc. Disregard candidates’ glossy propaganda touting “achievements” not addressing the rewriting of the state school-funding formula.
Newspapers, ask the hard questions of the candidates. Do some investigative reporting and publish your findings. Remember, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
Garry Seloske
Grangeville
Not a Republican
Lori McCann is not a Republican. Last election, her campaign mailer was paid for by the Idaho Education Association which has sponsored training events for Idaho teachers: “Restorative Justice: Its Roots and How to Use it in the classroom”; “Creating Safe Spaces: LGBTQ+ Students and Parents”; “Equity in Education Training: Participants will be given resources from Race Forward.”
Race Forward is about shifting power, changing policies and practices, and transforming values and culture (raceforward.org).
From the Clearwater Progress Jan. 13, 2022: McCann believes her constituents are willing to pay more in taxes. “There is such a misconception about what critical race theory is” and believes teaching of critical race theory in colleges and universities are “unconfirmed allegations.”
I asked McCann and Robert Blair what they thought of open primaries (which will be on the November ballot) and ranked choice voting. Both are in favor of open primaries, which will turn Idaho blue. McCann feels she doesn’t have enough information on the other to comment. Is anyone buying that? Neither cares if Idaho stays red as long as they are in power. They are touring with “their precinct people.” Be leery of those touring with McCann and Blair.
Please vote for Dan Foreman, Senate; Colton Bennett, House Seat A; Brandon Mitchell, House Seat B; Anthony Larue, Kamiah West; Tina Thomason, Craigmont; Michelle Lyons, Nezperce; Debra Idso, Reubens; Phil Schlader, Mohler; Barbara Summers, Winchester.
Lisa Reynaldo
Kamiah
McCann is our best choice
Can you believe that the Idaho and Latah Republican leaderships censured 15 of its own for not supporting the party’s bizarre ideas? Rep. Lori McCann was one of these, and now a couple of ... members of the Latah Republican leadership are campaigning against her. Talk about dirty politics. Wow.
Rep. McCann reminds me of the real Republican legislators of some years ago: working hard for her constituents, willing to listen to opposition, questioning party policies that bother her and her constituents and, yes, even willing to work across the aisle when productive. Today, many Republican so-called “conservatives” ignore the voters and suck up to groups like the Idaho Freedom Foundation (“Iffy” for short). Aside from a high score in the Idaho Freedom Index, what else are Iffy’s favorites getting? Look at Iffy’s website. Much to her credit, Rep. McCann is way down on its list.
The citizen initiative for a ranked primary was driven by the Republican leadership’s recent efforts to make it much more difficult to vote for anything except party leadership dogma. ... Gov. Brad Little referred to the attack on our librarians as “that stinking library bill” ... . Thanks to Rep. McCann and other responsible legislators, most did not get to Little’s desk.
The primary on May 21 is the election in Idaho. Look at the candidates’ websites, go to the forums, ask questions, and then vote now or on May 21. You will find that our best choice is Rep. Lori McCann.
Earl Bennett
Genesee
Vote for Dan Foreman
Dan Foreman is our District 6 state senator. We need him to stay in the Senate. He has gotten some very good common-sense bills passed and sponsored some very conservative bills.
Also, look up his voting record, one thing his opponent and other representatives are hiding from.
I appreciate that he works for us and not lobbyists and big business. He doesn’t take money from lobbyists and big business to get reelected like some others do.
Do your homework. Don’t vote for the candidate who has the biggest or most signs, or believe TV ads that are against Dan Foreman. They are lies. Look who has paid for those.
Vote for the candidate who works for you: Sen. Dan Foreman.
Rebecca Crea
Winchester
Would vote for McCann
If I were in District 6, I would vote for Lori McCann. She’s a good person and a hard worker. She’s also not a political puppet, but is a conservative, independent thinker.
She’s been deeply involved with the family businesses, ranging from an attorney’s office to their ranching. She believes education is the foundation of our government, just as our forefathers did.
If I were in District 6, I would be proud to say I voted for Lori McCann.
Ged W. Randall
Lewiston
Bennett stood out
On April 26, I attended the Republican candidate debate sponsored by the Nez Perce County Republican Women’s Club.
Most all of the candidates were political veterans and very impressive.
One, however, stood out in my opinion, in that he is young and a relative newcomer to politics. He is Colton Bennett, conservative Republican candidate for the Idaho State House District 6. Despite his age, Mr. Bennett is a confident speaker and very well informed on all the issues.
From his impressive performance, voters in District 6 should check him out. It looks like Mr. Bennett could have a bright future in Idaho conservative politics.
Peter Allegaert
Lewiston
Gem State Conservatives
Allow us to introduce Gem State Conservatives and what we stand for.
We are Republicans from all 44 counties in Idaho. Many of us built the Idaho GOP over decades. We receive no funding or support from out-of-state organizations.
Our objective is restoring integrity to our party. Our focus is principally these areas:
1. Trusting the voters: Pulling power to party insiders is the wrong direction. We believe our nominees are answerable to all Republicans, not just a select few.
2. We need a “big tent” Republican Party: Ronald Reagan believed those with whom we agree 80% of the time are allies, not enemies. We reject efforts to purge the party of all who don’t agree with party leaders 100% of the time.
3. We value Republican women and youth. The decision stripping voting rights on the GOP Executive Committee from the Idaho Republican Women’s Federation, College Republicans and Young Republicans is short-sighted and must be reversed.
What do Gem State Conservatives do? We help candidates who agree on these principles. Our goal: Return the GOP to its rightful owners, the Republican voters of Idaho.
Trent Clark
Soda Springs, Idaho
Tom Luna
Caldwell
