Idaho U.S. Senate candidates Republican Jim Risch and Democrat Larry LaRocco will square off in a third debate leading up to the general election in November.
The debate is scheduled for Oct. 28 in Meridian.Risch and LaRocco earlier agreed to debate in Lewiston on Oct. 8 and in Nampa on Oct. 21.
Risch and LaRocco are vying for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Larry Craig. Other candidates in the race include Libertarian Kent Marmon and independent Rex Rammell, as well as an independent candidate who has legally changed his name from Marvin Richardson to “Pro-Life.”
Idaho First District Rep. Bill Sali last week led a national debate on forest fires, saying Congress needs to do more to actually prevent forests and rangeland from going up in flames – as is happening now across the country.
Sali, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, served as the Republican debate “manager,” allocating speaking time to his colleagues as they debated a bill to dedicate funding for wildfire suppression.
Rep. Bill Sali (R-Idaho) comments
The Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act, which is aimed at dedicating funds for suppressing large wildfires, passed on a voice vote. The Forest Service used to provide a source of revenue by managing federal lands and selling the harvested timber. Today, in most areas, active harvesting and forest management is non-existent resulting in less money while there are growing fuel loads on federally managed lands.
Meanwhile, Sali’s bill speeds up projects to reduce hazardous fuels and reduce risks from wildfire, insect damage and disease. The bill would allow a shortened environmental review process as allowed under the National Environmental Policy Act, and would keep in place the environmental safeguards stipulated in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act.
The two candidates for the Idaho Supreme Court clashed over everything from the state’s judicial selection process to political influence on the court, in a debate broadcast live Thursday night on Idaho Public Television.
Incumbent Justice Joel Horton was appointed to the court in September by Gov. Butch Otter after review by a judicial council, and now is standing for election May 27. 2nd District Judge John Bradbury of Lewiston has called for an end to appointed judges running to succeed themselves, and wants all judgeships decided in open elections.
Bradbury also suggested political influence may have been a factor in the high court taking more than 17 years to decide a school facilities funding lawsuit. Horton responded that he’s sat on about 100 cases in his time on the court so far, and “never once” did political pressures influence a decision.
