krichert's blog

Idaho elections: Moyle files for re-election

Kevin Richert — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:29:32 -0500

He's arguably the most powerful lawmaker from Ada County, and he is seeking a seventh term in the Statehouse.

House Majority Leader Mike Moyle filed for re-election Thursday.

So far, the Star Republican is alone on the ballot. Two years ago, he defeated GOP write-in candidate Nancy Merrill, the former Eagle mayor who is now Gov. Butch Otter's Parks and Recreation director. Moyle won handily in the primary and the November election.

In other filings news:

Idaho elections: Crapo files for third U.S. Senate term

Kevin Richert — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:28:17 -0500

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo filed for a third term Thursday morning — and he is running alone.

Will things remain that way on March 19, at the end of the filing period? Crapo, a Republican, ran unopposed in 2004.

In other Thursday morning filings news:

• State Sen. Curt McKenzie, chairman of the powerful Senate State Affairs Committee, filed for a fifth two-year term.

Broadband broadsides — and more staff-imposed headaches for Butch Otter

Kevin Richert — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:48:22 -0500

Gov. Butch Otter wants to save one of his favorite projects, a statewide broadband network connecting public schools, universities and businesses.

He'd do well to protect the Idaho Education Network from his own staff.

Otter budget chief Wayne Hammon did the project no favors by calling out the Senate's chief budget-writer, with a remarkably ill-advised e-mail that would have better been left in the drafts folder.

Idaho campaigns: Meridian School Board member files for state Senate

Kevin Richert — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:38:27 -0500

A Meridian School Board member filed for a state Senate seat held by one of the Legislature's most hardline conservatives.

Mike Vuittonet will run in the May 25 GOP primary in District 20. filed for state Senate Wednesday. The district's incumbent, Sen. Shirley McKague, R-Meridian, has served in the Legislature since 1997.

In other Wednesday filing news, Rep. Rich Jarvis, R-Meridian, will seek a second term — and might face a familiar opponent in the fall. Kuna Democrat Sharon Fisher also filed for the House seat Wednesday. In 2008, Jarvis won with 64 percent of the vote.

Arsenic and old issues: Simpson takes on EPA water standards, again

Kevin Richert — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:47:17 -0500

Rep. Mike Simpson is taking another run at an old issue: the feds' standards for arsenic in drinking water.

He has introduced a bill to allow communities of under 10,000 to opt out of the Environmental Protection Agency's arsenic standards. Simpson first co-sponsored a bill about the arsenic standards in June 2004, more than 18 months before the rule went into effect. Then-Rep. (and now Gov.) Butch Otter supported the idea then, and today, Otter said Simpson's bill is "badly needed."

Business border war? Idaho commerce chief takes to talk radio

Kevin Richert — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:12:05 -0500

Here's the latest salvo in the business "border war" between Idaho and its Pacific Northwest neighbors: Commerce Department Director Don Dietrich took to the airwaves in Seattle and Portland to tout the Gem State.

Gov. Butch Otter's office posted links to the interviews on Otter's Web site.

Idaho campaigns (UPDATED): Could the 2011 Legislature look a lot like the 2010 model?

Kevin Richert — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:50:50 -0500

UPDATED, 11:55 a.m., with some Wednesday morning filings.

Pundits have predicted a lot of turnover in the Legislature — maybe even before the 2010 elections.

The grind of two years of budget bloodletting, and the possible need to raise taxes in 2011, will convince some of the state’s better citizen lawmakers to retire. Or so goes the theory, anyway.

We’ll see. The filing period runs until March 19. But so far, I’m not seeing signs of an exodus. And I could easily envision a 2011 Legislature that looks a whole lot like the 2010 Legislature.

Idaho campaigns: Star mayor jumps into GOP legislative primary

Kevin Richert — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:35:54 -0500

Star Mayor Nathan Mitchell filed, as expected, for a legislative seat today — and into an open but contested Republican primary.

Mitchell had already announced his plan to run for the House spot now held by Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, an announced congressional candidate. Eagle Republican Reed Demordaunt filed for the race on Monday.

In other Tuesday filing news:

Idaho campaigns: Three more local legislative incumbents file

Kevin Richert — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:56:26 -0500

No big-name news in this morning's candidate filings, but one trend is continuing.

There seems to be little, if any, early sign of an exodus in the Legislature — despite the continuing budget crisis facing state government.

Three more Valley incumbents filed for re-election this morning: Sen. Patti Anne Lodge, chairwoman of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee; Sen. Elliot Werk, D-Boise, the Senate's assistant minority leader; and first-term Rep. Pat Takasugi, R-Wilder.

Idaho campaign filings: Pasley-Stuart says there's 'no feud' over Boise Senate seat

Kevin Richert — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:32:04 -0500

State Rep. Anne Pasley-Stuart says she has always been interested in running for state Senate — so, with the North and East ends' Senate seat opening up, she jumped into the race quickly.

The Boise Democrat filed for Senate Monday, and says she is a little baffled by the confusion surrounding her move.

"(There's) no feud or anything like that going on here," Pasley-Stuart said this morning.