Idaho Examiner: STATESMAN PROFILES GOP PRIMARY IN DISTRICT 9 "My Idaho...My Planet Rocks!"

Today’s Idaho Statesman profiled the GOP primary contest between appointed incumbent Diana Thomas and challenger Judy Boyle for Seat B in the Idaho House for District 9 (primarily Adams, Payette, and Washington counties). When this seat became vacant, Ms. Boyle’s name was at the top of the list sent to the governor, who passed over Boyle to appoint Ms. Thomas to the legislature.

Voters here will have a clear choice in this election. Boyle seems clearly to be more in favor of school choice than Thomas: Boyle supports merit pay for teachers, education tax credits, ending “tenure” for public school teachers, and removing the cap on charter school expansion. She is also opposed to state funding for pre-K programs.

Thomas, on the other hand, seems to suffer from a lack of clarity in her educational philosophy. She is undecided on the issues of merit pay, tenure, and state-funded pre-K programs, an uncertainty that will naturally be of concern to voters for whom education is a priority concern. Additionally, she is opposed to education tax credits, although her written note indicated that her reason is her “concern over gov’t involvement in private ed.”

(Thomas often added that her support or opposition on a particular issued would “depend on (the) legislation” that was brought forward for consideration.)

There are marked differences between these two candidates on fiscal and tax policy issues as well. While Boyle supports eliminating the personal property tax on businesses, and opposes tax increases to boost transportation funding and local option taxes to build light rail, Thomas is undecided on the personal property tax issue and marked “undecided” on both tax increases for transportation and local option taxes for light rail.

While Thomas is undecided with regard to “car carry” legislation and opposes concealed carry on college campuses, Boyle gave unqualified support for both concepts.

Bottom line is that primary voters in District 9 will have quite distinct alternatives in this race, on education, tax policy, and gun rights issues.