Why I'm Running For Governor

I’m running for governor because we need a hard-working, problem-solving leader.  We need a leader who brings people together to find practical solutions.

That’s what I’ve done for the last five years.  As the leader of The Common Interest—a non-partisan citizens’ group of Democrats, Republicans, and independents—I’ve helped Idahoans lower their taxes, protect property rights, and fight proposals to raise vehicle fees.

That’s how I was raised.  When you grow up in a family that’s been in Idaho for five generations and you spend your summers working on your grandpa’s cattle ranch, working hard and working together is in your bones.

We need a hard-working, problem-solving governor in Idaho now more than ever because times are tough.  Too many Idahoans are struggling to make ends meet.  Our state doesn’t have a clear path for weathering the economic downturn. This isn’t because we don’t have what it takes to compete.  On the contrary: We’re as competent and capable as we’ve ever been.

It’s because we don’t have the right leadership.

Idaho needs a leader who has a sound strategy for a vibrant economy.  We can grow jobs in Idaho.  We can improve education in Idaho.  We can do all of this with the resources we’ve already got if we use those resources wisely.

We’re short on wisdom in the governor’s office right now.  I’m tired of a governor who says he’s fiscally conservative but wastes our money on contracts for his cronies that grow government and serve us poorly.  I’m tired of a governor who ignores everyday Idahoans because he’s listening to special interests.  I’m tired of spending taxpayer dollars defending bungled leadership in court.

We can do better.

In partnership with everyday Idahoans, I’d work to cut our tax rates by closing special interest tax exemptions that don’t make sense.  I’d work to make us competitive in tomorrow’s economy by making wise investments in education.  I’d work to get our state working again for all of us.

I’m running for governor because I want my kids, and all Idaho kids, to come of age in a state that is a leader in tomorrow’s economy.