The field for Lt. Governor in Idaho grows.

I spoke with the former Chair at the Jerome County Lincoln Day Breakfast.

While a formal announcement is about two weeks away, Steve Yates is getting into the fray.  Yates recently served as Chairman of Idaho’s Republican Party.  He has also worked in private business, is fluent in Mandarin and was a national security adviser on the staff of Vice President Richard Cheney.

There are currently three Republican candidates.  Janice McGeachin of Idaho Falls (she served ten years as a State Legislator), Rep. Kelly Packer of McCammon and State Senator Marv Hagedorn.  He comes from the GOP bastion of Meridian.  Yates calls East Idaho home and that corner of the state can flex some political muscle.

Yates told me over the weekend it isn’t a secret he’s a candidate, but he still will make the formal announcement this month.  I spoke with the former Chair at the Jerome County Lincoln Day Breakfast.  The event attracted three Republican candidates for Governor.  Russ Fulcher, Tommy Ahlquist and current Lt. Governor Brad Little.  It’s early and the candidates are all getting on well.  On primary day next May, you won’t likely see everyone quite so happy.  Democrats aren’t sitting it out, but only a handful of names have surfaced and the two Minority Leaders serving in the Legislature in Boise have both demurred when I’ve asked about future plans.

2018 may be the last election decided statewide.  By explanation come 2022 the populations of Canyon and Ada Counties will be so large it’s going to tip the skills in all statewide contests.

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