STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Idaho’s primary isn’t until May 15.

But the walkup to the Community Campus was colored with the campaign signs of 16 Republicans running for their party’s nomination for everything from governor right down to attorney general.

Inside, tables were wrapped in red, white and blue and the walls papered with more campaign signs as Bonnie Hovencamp, Tito Rivera, Marta Aracely and others served up an array of egg casseroles, pomegranate fruit cups and homemade sweet breads.

Mike Leach, chairman of the Blaine County Republicans, compared the event to the Iowa Caucus, with Blaine County being the first of Idaho’s 44 counties to vote on those running in the Republic primary on May 15.

“We’re the Iowa of Idaho today,” he said. “What’s fun is we’re taking a straw poll vote, getting the first feel to see how the races in Idaho are progressing leading up to the primary.”

Each of the candidates donated a silent auction item, with the money raised going to the local organization and to help fund the campaigns of those who win in May.

Idaho Rep Steve Miller donated a Stetson hat; U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, a U.S. Capitol Christmas tree ornament; Congressman Mike Simpson, a copy of the Gettysburg Address; Congressman Raul Labrador, a “Labrador Cookbook,” and gubernatorial candidate Tommy Ahlquist, a camp box containing mosquito repellant, sunscreen, Winchester shot shells and more.

Lt. Gov. Brad Little donated copies of the Declaration of Independence and Idaho and U.S. Constitutions that had been signed by former Govs. Phil Batt and Dirk Kempthorne and Sen. Jim Risch.

Among the attendees was Bill Lee Rosser, a 27-year-old appliance repairman who grew up in the Wood River Valley.

“I figured it’s much easier to make an impact on local politics than national,” he said.

Given the large slate of candidates, each candidate got just a few minutes to introduce themselves on stage and a minute to field between one and three questions. The idea, Leach said, was for them to speak clearly and to the point about why they’re running and what they want to do.

Consequently, candidates took advantage of every moment they could glad handing constituents during the brunch prepared by members of the Blaine County Republican Women and Blaine County Republican Central Committee.

Tommy Ahlquist, a Boise businessman who is running for the Republican nomination for governor, slid into a seat across from Lara Silver, a Hagerman teacher and librarian, and her granddaughter Allie, who had been imported from Twin Falls to sing Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”

Ahlquist shared how he and his wife Shanna had adopted two babies when their own children were about 12 and 13.  

Those babies—now 12-year-olds—have been able to address learning challenges resulting from being born to addicts with the help of tutors. But Ahlquist noted that it’s more difficult keeping their self-esteem up, thanks to the prevalence of social media that wasn’t present when his other children were that age.

“You look at everyone else’s perfect picture and you have to create a perfect picture for yourself,” he said. “But, social media’s not going away so it’s up to us to teach our kids how to deal with it.”

Idaho Sen. Bob Nonini of Coeur d’Alene wasted no time telling Stephen and Alisa DeFort and Bill Lee Rosser what differentiated him from the other four candidates running for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.

“My difference, I think, is that I’ve been on the educational committee during my 14 years in the Idaho legislature. Education is the most important thing we do in Idaho, the biggest part of our budget,” he said.

Nonini, who was born and raised in Wallace, went on to tell how important it is to have things like Tech Camp, a school near Couer d’Alene that teaches 400 high school students welding, electrical and other skills necessary to provide technical and technological jobs for the workforce.

“It’s up to parents to decide where they educate their children. I’m a big believer in choice,” he said.

Nonini added that teachers always want more money and that it’s up to the Republicans to challenge that.

“Chris Christie’s state of New Jersey and Washington, D.C. spend the most money per student and they’re at the bottom of the test scores,” he added. “Idaho spends $6,800 per student, next to last, but Idaho students are in the middle of the test scores.”

With 16 candidates—and fresh snow luring a three-day weekend crowd to Bald Mountain and Nordic trails—it would have been easy to have had more candidates than voters in the crowd.

But about 75 men and women showed up, hoping to get a personal look at each of the candidates.

Gubernatorial hopeful Raul Labrador, a career lawyer who just learned he is to be a grandfather, noted that just over a year ago Presidential candidate Donald Trump had issued an “objectionable” comment in which he bragged he could do anything to women.

Labrador noted his competitor Tommy Ahlquist decided to walk away from Trump, while Lt. Brad Little chose to remain silent about the remark.

“I decided to make sure Trump became President,” Labrador said, recounting how he campaigned for Trump in four states. Labrador added that he hopes to become governor because he has three children in out-of-state colleges, and he wants them to have opportunities to come back to the state.

Lt. Gov. Brad Little, whose grandmother taught at Carey, talked about repealing the grocery tax to help Idaho towns along the Oregon border who are disadvantaged by Oregon’s lack of sales tax.

Tommy Ahlquist, an emergency room doctor who used to work in Sun Valley’s hospital and went on to build the Zions Bank building on what had been a hole in downtown Boise for 25 years, recounted talking to a landscape contractor who wept as he talked to him about providing health care for his employees.

“I hope my experience in health care can make a difference,” he said.  The insurance industry needs to be reformed, he added: “We’ve got to do something and stop talking about it.”

Among the five running for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor, was Steve Yates, a deputy national security advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney and chairman of the Idaho Republican Party.

Yates said he wants to remove the pebbles in the shoes of small businessmen through the use of such tools as deregulation. He also recounted how he and his wife had adopted two children born to addict mothers.

“Idaho needs to have a more honest discussion about addiction recovery,” he said.

Idaho Rep. Kelley Packer noted how she had become a city council member in McCammon and, later, state representative because her parents had stressed “how important it is for each of us to be citizens.” She said she hoped to increase effectiveness and efficiencies in state departments by trimming excesses and empowering employees.

Former State Rep. Janice McGeachen, who owns an Irish pub and three automotive industry stores with her husband in Idaho Falls, shared how she had worked as chair of the Health & Welfare committee to prevent the implementation of Obamacare in Idaho in 2012.

Sen. Bob Nonini noted that he had gained a reputation as longest serving, most conservative and  effective legislator. He added that he had helped create the STEM Action Center and helped remove the cap on charter schools in the state.

Sen. Marv Hagedorn  of Meridian told how he had spent 20 years working in Naval intelligence before managing two international companies that dealt with contracts valued at more than $200 million. He also co-founded the Wyakin Foundation, which help wounded warriors making the transition back to civilian life. The program has had no suicides, and its success rate is twice that of the Veterans Administration at a tenth the cost,” he added.

Cindy Jessinger tabulated the votes, reporting Sunday night that Brad Little had won 50 percent of the votes in the governor’s race with Tommy Ahlquist fielding 34 percent and Raul Labrador, 16 percent.

Steve Yates, who is a frequent commentator on TV news sites, got 42 percent of the votes in the lieutenant governor’s race, with Marv Hagedorn fielding 21 percent; Janice McGeachin, 13 percent, Kelley Packer, 13 percent, and Bob Nonini, 11 percent.

Tom Kealey received 90 percent of the votes in the Treasurer’s race with Vicky McIntyre fielding 10 percent. And Jeff Dillon got 65 percent of the votes in the race for Superintendent of Public Instruction, with Sherri Ybarra taking home the remaining 35 percent.

Ahlquist seemed joyful as he walked off stage heading to a  Lincoln Day event in Fairfield and yet another event that evening in Gooding.

“It’s getting close--120 days to the primary,” he said. “It’s a good process. I go out and tell people why I want to do this, and then the people decide.”