The year was 1985, and Idaho was dominated by the GOP, following the path of the Reagan Revolution, which claimed to focus on limited government, lower taxes, deregulation, and anti-communism. A new politician came to the stage, a man from the small town of Pocatello, Richard Stallings, who had just won an upset against incumbent George Hansen. Unlike many of his predecessors and those who would follow, he was a stalwart servant to his community and Idahoans to the very end. Representative Stallings not only left a legacy in his example but also provided a map that many candidates should follow to this day.
Representative George Hansen had a controversial political career, beginning with an unauthorized trip to Tehran, where he claimed he sought to investigate conditions and negotiate with Iranian officials. Time and time again, he was hit with failure-to-disclose and other campaign finance violations; he worked above the law. Representative Stallings did not get bogged down in his campaign; instead, he focused on Idaho issues, including agriculture, land use, and veterans. “Idaho deserves representation it can be proud of,” was the theme Stallings stood behind.
During the brief shutdowns in 1987, Representative Stallings did not use the time to create a political party divide; instead, he worked through it as part of a pragmatic bloc focused on compromise and cooperation. During the 1990s, soaring deficits led Representative Stallings to support the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, which cut spending and raised taxes. Stallings held to his honest, pragmatic leadership despite backlash from conservatives who claimed to be fiscally responsible.
Representative Stallings set an example missing from today’s political arena. During the Iran-Contra Scandal, Stallings demanded accountability through a cautious approach that balanced national security and transparency. Stallings’ position reflected the conservative leanings of his district, which was critical but not hostile towards the Reagan administration. Representative Stallings voted to support veteran benefits and job reintegration for veterans returning from the Persian Gulf.
Representative Stallings took the time to get to know his constituents and understand what was essential to building a community for the future. Stallings shared, “whether it was dry-land farming on the Palouse, or irrigated farming in southern Idaho.” Showing his understanding of Idaho’s broad agricultural economy. Stallings advocated for our INL, with its early defense jobs, while pushing back against turning Idaho into a nuclear waste dumping ground. Stallings worked to attract jobs to Idaho, developing a foundation that all Idahoans still live on today.
In his final days, Representative Stallings did not spend his time on a beach; he did not spend it trying to drive the political divide by stating one side was more right than the other. Stallings spent it in gymnasiums and auditoriums throughout Idaho, hosting town halls. He did not do it to boost the Democratic Party; he was not seeking to fuel the political divide. He was acting as the true leader he had always been, simply listening when he knew people needed to be heard.
Dan Barker, Master of Human Resource Management, is a local consultant and the chair of the Bonneville County Democratic Central Committee.