An open house will be held at the East Idaho Democratic headquarters this evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., 110 N. Holmes. Everyone is invited in person or via Zoom. We will observe social distancing and require face masks to ensure safety in accordance with Eastern Idaho Public Health District protocol.
Our open house will include addresses by nationally renowned constitutional scholar David Adler; City Council member John Radford; as well as all eastern Idaho Democratic candidates in this election — all of who are running for the Idaho House: Idaho Falls candidates Miranda Marquit and David Roth, District 33; Shelley candidate Travis Oler, District 31, which comprises Bingham County; and Driggs candidate Bill Leake, District 32, which is one of the state’s largest districts comprising all of Bear Lake, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida and Teton counties, and a portion of Bonneville County.
With many events being shut down in these COVID-19 times and this election year, our open house becomes an especially important opportunity to meet and hear from our candidates. Our party is welcoming with room for all of you to join us to express your views. We are here to ensure your needs are heard and to help make needed changes for you, our community and Idaho. Our values include honoring the equal rights of all people; building a sustainable economy that helps Idahoans have quality jobs and quality of life; ensuring the constitutional right of Idaho children to have a free, uniform and thorough public education; and to help our state government be responsive, accountable, transparent, cost-effective, fair and an institution that addresses issues important to Idahoans.
In these difficult times, it also is important to thank the Idaho Falls City Club for hosting election debates for the Bonneville County candidates. David Roth’s debate with Marco Erickson is scheduled for Oct. 15. Roth is a school administrator and a strong proponent of quality education and, thereby, ensuring a skilled workforce. Both are entering the political fray for the first time. Bill Leake will debate incumbent Rep. Chad Christensen on Oct. 22. Leake is a former Idaho National Laboratory employee, a member of the East Idaho Public Health board and a strong proponent of following science. Christensen, known for receiving the highest Idaho Freedom Foundation score of any Idaho legislator and opposing public education funding, forced the shutdown of the Moscow, Idaho, farmers market recently where he led an anti-mask rally. A debate has not yet been scheduled between Miranda Marquit, a national finance writer with a Master’s of Business Administration, and incumbent Barbara Ehardt, who has received high marks from the Idaho Freedom Foundation and backed the Idaho law banning transgender people from competing in sports. That law is currently blocked while it is being disputed in federal court, at Idaho taxpayer expense, because of being deemed likely to be found unconstitutional. The Idaho Falls City Club Facebook page will broadcast the debates live.
East Idaho Democrats hold all of you in our embrace. Please join us for our open house at 6 p.m. tonight. Our house is, always, open to all of you.