The Idaho Oneida County's News Since 1879 Malad City, Idaho
March 12, 2026 | Vol. 146 No. 11
$1.50
NEWS IN BRIEF Idaho Bill to repeal Medicaid expansion
The deadline for statewide candidates has passed, but the county level filing deadline is this Friday at 5:00 p.m.
Primary Election coming into focus The deadline for statewide races was February 26, and those candidates are set. The deadline for county and district officials is March 13, which is this Friday. There are often last minute filers for county level contests, so the full slate of candidates likely won’t be clear until next week. Here is what we do know as of press time, though: For Governor, the list is massive. Current governor Brad Little is seeing primary challenges from Republicans Daniel C. Fowler, Ethan Giles, Justin R. Plante, Lisa Marie, Mark Fitzpatrick, Ron James, and Sean Calvert Crystal. Democratic Candidates are Chanelle Torrez, Jill Kirkham, Maxine Durand, and Terri Pickens. From the Libertarian Party, the primary includes Paul Sand and Melissa-Sue Robinson. Jacob Burnett and John R. Stegner filed as Independents. The Candidate named Pro-Life is running as a member of the Constitution Party. At the Federal level, U.S. Sen Jim Risch faces three Republican challengers. Risch, 82, is running for a fourth six-year term. The Republican was first elected to the seat in 2008 and now chairs the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He faces three Republican challengers in the May primary election: Denny LaVe, Joe Evans, and Josh Roy. In announcing his re-election bid in an April 2025 post on X, Risch touted an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump.
U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, a Republican serving his fifth term, is not yet up for re-election. His six-year term began in 2023. U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher faces two Republican challengers in Idaho’s 1st Congressional District since 2019. Idaho’s 1st Congressional District — home to roughly 1 million people — splits Ada County, includes some of Boise and spans the state’s western border through the Idaho panhandle in the north. U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson faces two Republican challengers. Simpson, 75, is running for a 15th two-year term. The Republican has represented Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District since 1999 and chairs the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations. He faces two Republican challengers: Brian Keene and Perry Shumway. Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District — home to almost 1 million people — splits Ada County, includes most of Boise, and spans central and eastern Idaho. Simpson has widely won re-election bids. For Onedia County, incumbent District 27 Senator Kelly Arthur Anton (R ) will be running against Margo Saunders (D) in the fall. Neither of District 27’s Representatives, Douglas Pickett (R ) (27A), and Clay Handy (R ) (27B) have any opposition in the primary either, and no challengers who filed un-
Mid-March will be here next weekend, if you can believe it. Whether you believe it or not, the Event Center will be hosting back to back event on the 14th and 21st, just in time for spring (?), the Lincoln Day Dinner, and Emergency Preparedness Fair. The Republican Lincoln Day Events will take place on March 14 at 6:00 p.m. The dinner is a chance for candidates, office holders, supporters, and interested members of the public to meet and discuss issues of importance to themselves and the Grand Old Party. In the past, guests and speakers have included state representatives and senators, members of the governor’s administration, state education and policy officials, and an interesting array of speakers. This year’s keynote speaker has been announced as Major General Brian L.
Tarbet. We included a biography of Tarbet last week in case you missed it. Tarbet, now retired, assumed duties as the Adjutant General, Utah National Guard on October 1, 2000. Starting in September of 2001, General Tarbet directed mobilization, deployment, and redeployment of virtually all units of the Utah Army and Air National Guard in support of the global war on terrorism. The Lincoln Day event will incorporate America 250 as part of its theme, and everyone is invited to attend. It is not necessary to be registered as a Republican to enjoy the dinner and discussion. The following week on March 21, the Event Center will host the second annual Oneida County Emergency Preparedness Fair. Booths and presentations on Back-up power options,
der other party affiliations. At the time of this report, Bill Drury (R ) has filed to run for County Commission seat District 1. The seat is currently held by Chairman Bill Lewis, who has not filed to run as of press time. For the County Commission District 2 seat, Randy Willie has filed to run. The seat is currently held by Ken Eliason, who has also not filed to run in the primary as of Tuesday. The other filings to report for the county are the filings of those currently holding positions, County Clerk Lon Colton, County Treasurer Leigh Anne Love, County Assessor Kathleen Atkinson, and County Coroner Brad Horsley. Given the strength of Republican candidates in Oneida County, uncontested primaries are typically highly indicative of the ultimate outcomes of the races, even in contested elections. We should have a clear sense of whether any challengers step forward for countywide races, and whether several incumbents are planning to run again by next week. A Lincoln Day Dinner is scheduled for next Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at the Event Center in Oneida County to provide voters a chance to meet candidates and hear from speakers about the upcoming election season and to celebrate the 250th year of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Lincoln Day Dinner Saturday; Emergency Fair March 21
Last year’s first Emergency Preparedness Fair brought in a good crowd.
outdoor cooking, 72 hour kits, gardening, using food storage, first responders, county and state resources, radio communications, and more will be hosted throughout the day from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Presentations on Water Purification from Connie Getz, First Responders from Trissa Nesbitt, and Automobile Preparation from Matt Johnson. The event is free to everyone.
INSIDE THE ENTERPRISE Evening of the Arts..............................Pg. 2 Discover Heritage Hub........................Pg. 3 Puzzles................................................Pg. 6
Looking Back.......................................Pg. 7 Grandparents Only............................Pg. 10 Sports................................................ Pg. 12
After several legislative moves to punt decisions on Medicaid cuts this year, Idaho Republican lawmakers on Monday introduced a bill to repeal Medicaid expansion. The bill would repeal Medicaid expansion on Jan. 1, 2028. That would remove roughly 90,000 Idahoans from the health insurance public assistance program. In 2018, 61% of Idaho voters approved the policy through a ballot initiative meant to close a health care assistance gap that affected a population commonly called the working poor. In the past, Medicaid expansion repeal bills haven’t gone far in the Legislature. But this year, state lawmakers are pushing for deeper, across-the-board state government spending cuts — including to Medicaid disability services — after approving years of tax cuts that have reduced the state’s revenue by more than $4 billion. After a motion that would’ve rejected the bill narrowly failed, the committee introduced the bill. It could return for a public hearing soon. Lawmakers delaying vote on Medicaid disability cuts is why the expansion repeal bill is here, committee chairman says. In Gov. Brad Little’s budget plan, he proposed $22 million in Medicaid cuts that could come from a range of service reductions. But Medicaid expansion wasn’t on that list. Last week, the House Health and Welfare Committee voted to shelve for a week a bill that would’ve cut nearly $22 million from a Medicaid disability service called residential habilitation. That delay was why committee chairman Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, asked Redman to bring the repeal bill, Vander Woude told the committee.
Foster Care Bill passes
The Idaho House of Representatives on Monday approved a bill that enumerates rights to safety for youth in foster care. House Bill 724 establishes a “bill of rights” for the young people in the state’s care, such as to the rights to: Reside in a safe and healthy environment, Be free from physical, emotional and other abuse, Have “timely and appropriate medical assessments and forensic testing” when abuse is disclosed, Have access to basic essentials such as food, shelter and clothing, Obtain a court order to limit or restrict visitation if it places the child’s safety or wellbeing at risk. The bill requires that those rights be explained to young people who enter foster care. Bill sponsor Rep. Josh Wheeler, R-Ammon, said the bill “puts into statute some of the best practices.” Multiple foster parents previously testified in favor of the bill during the committee hearing on March 5. The House did not debate on Monday, and members voted 58-7, with five absent in favor of the bill. Reps. Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur d’Alene; Chris Bruce, R-Caldwell; Clint Hostetler, R-Twin Falls; Kent Marmon, R-Caldwell; Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene; and Faye Thompson, R-McCall, voted against the bill. It now goes to the Senate for further consideration.