Ok frankly, I’ve truthfully been dreading writing this year’s voter’s guide, ok?
Maybe that’s overstating it a bit. I’ve looked forward to almost everything. All the down ballot races are exciting and very important. The part I’ve been dreading is the presidential race. Many have postulated that there’s never been a more divisive race than that of Trump vs. Clinton. And that has led to some issues.
I want to start out by saying that this voter’s guide is just that - a guide. Nothing I say or do not say should be taken as gospel and nothing says your vote must be the same as my vote. I put this out there because it’s a way to help others who aren’t hopeless political nerds without a life. I spend a lot of time researching and reading to come up with these suggestions and present them to you with the belief that these are the best options we have.
My purpose in writing this is so that you can have the resources and knowledge you need to make an informed vote based on Biblical and Constitutional principles.
If we disagree on one point or another, that is simply because we are human. And humans make errors. It should not drive a wedge between friends or cause relations to become strained. Instead, it should motivate us to learn, study, and become better people. People who have all the facts, not just the facts we like. People who love our fellow flawed humans so much that we treat them like we would want to be treated. People that cling to Biblical principles no matter what.
If we focus on unchanging principles instead of ever-changing people, we will stay on the right track.
Now, before we get started, you should not be casting a vote unless you understand what is the purpose and proper role of government. Voting is a duty and a responsibility and it should not be done unless you understand what you’re voting for and why. So before we get to the voter’s guide, please check out this article. You’ll thank me later.
Quick Picks:
(Picks marked in BLUE. Scroll down for Detailed Explanations of my picks)
United States Senator
-Ray Writz (CON)
-Mike Crapo (R)
-Jerry Sturgill (D)
U.S. Representative 1st District
-Raul Labrador (R)
-James Piotrowski (D)
State Senator District 2
-Steve Vick (R) - Unopposed
State Representative District 2 Position A
-Kathy Kahn (D)
-Vito Barbieri (R)
State Representative District 2 Position B
-Eric Redman (R)
-Richard Kohles (D)
State Senator District 3
-Bob Nonini (R) - Unopposed
State Representative District 3 Position A
-Ron Mendive (R)
State Representative District 3 Position B
-Don Cheatham (R) - Unopposed
County Commissioner Second District
-Chris Fillios (R) - Unopposed
County Commissioner Third District
-Bob Bingham (R)
-Russell McLain (IND)
County Sheriff
-Tina Kunishige (D)
-Benton “Ben” Wolfinger (R)
County Prosecuting Attorney
-Barry McHughl (R) - Unopposed
Idaho Supreme Court Justice
-Robyn Brody
-Curt McKenzie
Idaho Constitutional Amendment
-Yes
-No
Detailed Explanations:
United States Senator
-Ray Writz (CON) While I generally agree with positions held by Constitutional candidates, the caliber of the candidates themselves is often less than stellar. I met Mr. Writz briefly and was less than impressed by his ability to communicate. This does not inspire confidence in his ability to either win an election or to get things done if elected.
-Mike Crapo (R) A 0% from NARAL and 0% from Planned Parenthood Action Fund, 100% from National Right to Life, a strong record of protecting the 2nd Amendment, a defender of traditional marriage...and the list goes on. Let’s put this guy back in Washington.
-Jerry Sturgill (D) According to Mr. Sturgill’s website, “wage inequality” is a major concern to him as well as making sure the government forces businesses to pay employees more. Obviously, his understanding of the government’s proper role leaves much to be desired. He received a 0% rating from the NRA, which leads one to believe he can’t be trusted with protecting our 2nd Amendment rights. Also, his website makes no mention whatsoever of his position on life/abortion. This is always concerning when candidates don’t even see this issue as important enough to mention.
U.S. Representative 1st District
-Raul Labrador (R) Rep. Labrador is one of the founding members of the Freedom Caucus that was instrumental is outing Speaker Boehner. This group of conservative representatives has been very active and effective in stopping bad legislation. Rep. Labrador is strongly pro-life and pro-2nd Amendment. He understands the role of government and has shown a dedication to his beliefs.
-James Piotrowski (D) One of his biggest criticisms of Rep. Labrador is the fact that Labrador voted against a spending measure. Let that sink in. Mr. Piotrowski says he is a strong constitutionalist, yet he claims he has always been a Democrat and believes it is the part of individual rights. Anyone who has ever read the Democrat party platform knows that this is very, very far from the truth. The Democrat party is the party of denying the individual rights of unborn children. That right there tells you all you need to know.
State Senator District 2
-Steve Vick (R) - Unopposed Senator Vick has a pretty good record and has shown a commitment to pro-life causes as well as taking a strong stance on the 2nd Amendment.
State Representative District 2 Position A
-Kathy Kahn (D) Ms. Kahn’s website and Facebook have no information regarding policy positions. From her press release, we gather that her main issues are opposition to Rep. Barbieri’s tax votes, a push to expand spending on infrastructure and “equal pay for equal work”.
-Vito Barbieri (R) Rep. Barbieri is a firm believer in the Constitution, life and the 2nd Amendment. He has a strong voting record and is definitely the best choice in this race.
State Representative District 2 Position B
-Eric Redman (R) Representative Redman has a solid voting record in the State House co-sponsoring pro-life legislation, supporting the 2nd Amendment, and voting to allow the use of the Bible in public schools. He also has legislative process experience under his belt which is a major plus in getting things done in Boise.
-Richard Kohles (D) No information regarding this candidate.
State Senator District 3
-Bob Nonini (R) - Unopposed
State Representative District 3 Position A
-Ron Mendive (R) - Unopposed
State Representative District 3 Position B
-Don Cheatham (R) - Unopposed Rep. Cheatham has a good voting record co-sponsored pro-life legislation and pro-2nd Amendment legislation this last session. Overall, I’m satisfied that he is serving Idaho well.
County Commissioner Second District
-Chris Fillios (R) - Unopposed
County Commissioner Third District
-Bob Bingham (R) Limited government, less taxes, less intrusive government, and a record to back it up? Say no more.
-Russell McLain (IND) All I could find on Mr. McLain was a one-minute video where he basically said he wanted to bring jobs to Idaho. And that’s about it. I can’t even find contact information in order to send him a questionnaire.
County Sheriff
-Tina Kunishige (D) As stated before, voting for a party will lead to mistakes. Voting for principles will always steer you right. The Kootenai Democrats have officially voiced their non-support of Ms. Kunishige. Apparently her strong belief in the original intent of the Constitution and liberty do not line up with the Democrat platform. Big surprise. Running as a Democrat was apparently a strategic move in order to avoid a 3-way race in the general election. A little research will reveal that Mr. Kunishige understands that government officials are there to protect the rights of the people. She also understands that an oath of office is not something to be taken lightly. She has a depth of knowledge of the Constitution that is rarely seen.
-Benton “Ben” Wolfinger (R) While Sheriff Wolfinger has a decent record and a good deal of experience in law enforcement, Ms. Kunishige’s passion for the Constitution outshines.
County Prosecuting Attorney
-Barry McHughl (R)
Idaho Supreme Court Justice
-Robyn Brody - This race was supposed to be decided in the primary, however thankfully we get another chance to get this very important race right. No one candidate received a majority of the vote so it went to a runoff election in the general.
-Curt McKenzie - Judicial elections can be tough to call since candidates generally steer clear of partisan issues due to the fact that they are required to not run as a member of a certain party. However, “show me your friends and I’ll show you your future” as the saying goes. Mr. McKenzie has received endorsements from Sage Dixon (a strong, conservative constitutionalist), Rush Fulcher, the NRA and (in my opinion, most importantly) Idaho Chooses Life. Mr. McKenzie has made it clear that he understands the Constitution and the proper role of the judiciary is to interpret, not make, law. Mr. McKenzie has served 7 terms in the Idaho Senate, demonstrating that his local constituents who know him best trust and respect him to keep his word.
Idaho Constitutional Amendment
-Yes While I was initially skeptical of this proposal, after doing a lot of research and consulting some of the most informed people I know on the subject, I am confident in my “yes” vote. This amendment enshrines an existing power of the legislature to review the rules and regulations proposed by the executive branch. This ensures that the executive branch’s rules and regulations are in line with the spirit of the legislation they are supposed to enforce. The arguments against this amendment appear to not take into account that the legislature already has the authority to do what it is doing and HJR 5 does not grant any more power to the legislature, nor does it take any power from the executive or judiciary. After much research, talking to people smarter than I, and a lot of thought, I believe that this amendment should be passed.
-No
