Sonya Harris is a politically active Blackfoot school board trustee. Karen McGee is a former Idaho State Board of Education executive director and president. McGeachin criticized the governor's coronavirus policies while touting the technology, although a National Institutes of Health study published months earlier determined that the use of "walk-through sanitation gates" was ineffective, possibly dangerous, and violates global health standards. Idaho Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, said McGeachins relationship with Republican leadership has soured during her time as lieutenant governor. | Kevin Fixler kfixler@idahostatesman.com. [36], As lieutenant governor, McGeachin has had a strained relationship with the governor, Brad Little,[14][38][39] despite the fact that Little is a fellow conservative Republican. Shes touted her business acumen as a reason why shes qualified, said David Roth, former chair of the Bonneville County Democratic Party, now running to challenge U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, in November. This group is described by Steve Taggart in his most recent Idaho Politics Weekly post as "wacky and extremist at best." [55][56] In August 2021, after announcing that she would challenge Little in the Republican primary for re-nomination as governor, McGeachin said that it was "shameful" for Little to ask Idahoans to show love for neighbors by getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Janice McGeachin takes a question from an attendee during a meet-and-greet campaign fundraiser at a Caldwell-area winery in April. Janice McGeachin (then Kyes), lower right, appears in her sophomore year portrait in the 1979 yearbook for Skyline High School, located in Idaho Falls. Each rode the Make America Great Again wave under former President Donald Trump that propelled a number of far-right candidates into office. The pastor of the Cowboy Church, Scotty Brown, looks the part. Little Says He Hasn't Spoken To Lt. Gov McGeachin In Weeks, Cases of coronavirus in Idaho spike after businesses reopen, Lt. Gov. Idaho Lt. Gov. Since 2016, Beck and his family have donated the second-most money among Idaho residents directly to Trumps campaigns and political action committees, eclipsing $250,000, according to Federal Election Commission records. Each was the first woman to serve in their positions, too, and she credited them both for their fearlessness and no-nonsense approach to politics. [64][65] Legal experts dismissed the suit as meritless,[65] and it was rejected by the Supreme Court. He spoke about the forgotten man in this country and how the government in Washington, D.C., was too beholden to the corporations and the special interests and that we needed to return the government back to the people, McGeachin said. However, McGeachin's Idaho Falls-based business accepted two partially forgivable loans, totaling $314,727, from the federal Paycheck Protection Program. Its perhaps a surprise location from which to mount a run for the states highest office. Janice McGeachin is the first female Lt. The two married and are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary this summer, McGeachin said, fiddling with a thick-banded, diamond-encrusted ring around her right middle finger. McGeachin said she doesnt concern herself with unflattering characterizations, or any of the other things people say about her. Around town, its known more colloquially as the Cowboy Church. The federal government has become too restrictive in how we teach our kids, manage health care, build our roads and manage our resources." BOISE (Idaho Statesman) Idaho Lt. Gov. Lt. Gov. (UPDATED: Oct. 19, reflecting the death of Pete Coulson from COVID-19.). [29], In 2021, McGeachin convened an "education indoctrination task force" co-chaired by fellow Republican Priscilla Giddings. Pretty soon its just going to be normal and natural to be a pedophile. Lt. Gov. Colleagues recognized her as a member of the more conservative wing of the Republican Party, sponsoring anti-abortion bills and stridently opposing the Affordable Care Act, passed under Democratic President Barack Obama. [59][73] She appeared at a rally for the Three Percenters, an anti-government militia movement group. Late last week, Idaho Lt. She argued, however, that her actions did not violate the governors restrictions, because her pub also includes a restaurant. McGeachin not only listened to her and other parents, Henry said, but also their children. It was an affirmation to me when I won the lieutenant governors race, McGeachin said, before referencing her status as the first woman in the position, and chance of making history again as governor. [41][56][57] Overwhelmed by a surge of COVID-19 patients, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare activated "crisis standards" that allowed hospitals in the state to ration healthcare. Janice Kyes McGeachin (/mi.n/; born January 18, 1963)[1] is an American far-right[2][3][4] politician and businesswoman who served as the 43rd lieutenant governor of Idaho from 2019 to 2023. Lt. Gov. Elaine King previously ran for the Idaho House of Representatives in District 34, which covers the Rexburg area, in 2018, but lost in the Republican primary. She defeated four rivals for the job, receiving 29% of the vote to edge former state GOP chair Steve Yates by fewer than 3,000 votes. Janice McGeachin Thursday unveiled the membership list of her new "Task Force to Examine . She is the first female lieutenant governor of Idaho. He has scored some big wins,. I stood with them when Mr. Little sent his law enforcement into their business and threatened to take their license away, she told a crowd at a rally last week in Meridian. She also has sparked controversy over her repeated interactions with fringe, extremist and racist figures. She also tried to deploy the Idaho National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Little and Maj. Gen. Michael Garshak, who heads the states National Guard. Idaho already would ban abortion if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the precedent-setting case of Roe v. Wade. Thats all great, but if thats why you can do it, then you open yourself up for people to look at the businesses.. And I have had two healthy pregnancies, said McGeachin, long a vocal advocate against a womans right to obtain an abortion. | Sarah A. Miller smiller@idahostatesman.com. Because sin is progressive, right? Brown told the congregation. Branden Durst hopes to win the May 17 GOP state superintendents primary by running against all things Sherri Ybarra and Debbie Critchfield. [40][46] In October 2020, McGeachin appeared in a video by the right-wing Idaho Freedom Foundation in which she wielded a gun and Bible, railed against COVID-19 public-health measures, and questioned whether "a pandemic may or may not be occurring. Janice McGeachin stands with her husband Jim in front of the Idaho Capitol building prior to taking the podium to announce her run for governor on May 19. [38] In July 2021, when Little was out of state on a different trip, McGeachin wrote a letter to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, demanding information on what incentives Idaho healthcare providers may have "to impose vaccine mandates on their employees. [73], McGeachin and Republican Representative Larry C. Bradford were re-districted to 31A. We will make Idaho a sanctuary for life, protecting the unborn and protecting our elderly from abuse., Taking Trumps lead, McGeachin told the Statesman she thinks the former president won the 2020 election over Biden, though no evidence has been produced of widespread voter fraud, as Trump and his allies have claimed. A few challengers ran spendy races and unseated Statehouse incumbents. Members continue to include an Idaho Freedom Foundation employee and a charter school leader who pushed to use the Bible in public schools. One of the big questions were seeing in general about elections this year is about how much effect Trump will have, said Jaclyn Kettler, a political science professor at Boise State University. Janice Kyes McGeachin ( / mi.n /; born January 18, 1963) [1] is an American far-right [2] [3] [4] politician and businesswoman who served as the 43rd lieutenant governor of Idaho from 2019 to 2023. [27][28][29] McGeachin was apparently one of the highest-ranking elected officials to address the far-right conference. Today, hers is a household name throughout Idaho, even if many people are still unsure how to say it. Janice McGeachin, the renegade lieutenant governor of Idaho who is running for governor, likes to portray herself as a law-and-order candidate. appears in video slamming virus rules, whether 'a pandemic may or may not be occurring', Idaho Lt. Lt. Gov. Traditionally the officeholder in the bench-warmer spot has waited until the governor chose to end his run, or transitioned to a federal position. He recently served as principal of Marsh Valley Middle School in East Idaho, but split from the school after one school year after signing a separation agreement May 13, a week before his membership on the task force was announced, EdNews reported. I was hoping that he would see the virtue of keeping it in place, she said. Follow Blake on Twitter @jonesblakej. Without naming McGeachin, Little disavowed her appearance at the conference on social media, saying it was extremely unfortunate anyone in elected office in Idaho must make statements like these., Idaho Lt. Gov. In 2012, she and her family . Beck said hes never spoken to Trump about McGeachin the three or four times theyve met, and thought his prior campaign donations to the former president played no role in McGeachin earning Trumps endorsement. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue. . (VanderSloot and his wife, Belinda, each donated campaign maximums of $5,000 to Little. On an early April evening, theyre there for dinner and a few rounds of drinks, while the familys matriarch is home from the campaign trail. The fowl-named drink is a layered shooter, made of one part Kahlua, one part Irish cream and one part whiskey. "[43] By July 2020, after the state's economy had reopened, Idaho saw a spike in coronavirus cases. Its not enough to just silently nod along, McGeachin told rallygoers. Two weeks before Idahos primary election, McGeachin stepped onto an outdoor stage on a Wednesday evening in front of a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered at Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park in Meridian for a rally in her honor. ), Beck and his wife, Lynn, each contributed campaign maximums to McGeachin for the primary, according to Idaho secretary of state records, as well as tens of thousands of dollars more to several far-right candidates, political action committees and the Republican National Committee. A representative from the Idaho School Boards Association, ISBA President-elect Jason Knopp, withdrew from the task force after its first meeting, objecting to its lack of education professionals. After the task force completed its summer meetings, Knopps replacement died of COVID-19. The federal government has gotten to be so big and is interfering so much in all of our lives as states. Her campaign events typically begin with prayer, and she routinely mentions her unwavering belief in God and his plan for the state, and nation, out on the stump. [15][19] McGeachin narrowly won the Republican primary election on May 15, 2018, with 28.9% of the vote, then defeated Democratic nominee Kristin Collum in the November general election. She was elected lieutenant governor in the 2018 election, to serve with the governor, Brad Little. Janice McGeachin walks down the front steps of the Idaho State Capitol building, with her husband Jim, prior to taking the podium to announce her run for Governor, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Following a stint in Arizona, the family moved to Idaho Falls when she was a child after her father took a job at the Idaho National Laboratory, the nuclear energy research hub run by the federal government. Jason Knopp is the vice chairman of the Melba School Districts board. This is our country, and were going to take it back! Rogers shouted to the crowd. The Republican gubernatorial race also stands to have national implications, given Trumps involvement, as well as the likelihood that its victor will steer the direction of the state for at least the next four years after Novembers general election. Where men are men, and sheep are scared! Jimmy McGeachin belts back, a joke about bestiality. It is estimated that her net worth is somewhere between $1 million and $3 million. Its just about all women supporting each other, McGeachin said. The committee was premised on the notion that "the scourge of critical race theory, socialism, communism, and Marxism" was "infiltrating" the Idaho school and college system. After library bill vote, Boyle abruptly steps down from House Education, Lawmakers reject new ESA proposal in frustrated debate, Statehouse roundup, 2.27.23: Parental rights bill passes House easily, Coeur dAlene trustee calls anti-levy campaign disgusting and un-American. [31] The Idaho Statesman editorial board described the effort as "a manufactured witch hunt" driven by the "far-right fringe of Idaho's politics. The soup of the day is beef taco, and the $5 drink special is a melon berry ros sangria. This election asks one simple question: Is my Idaho your Idaho? McGeachin said, to loud applause and supporters standing up from the camping chairs they brought from home. We can never give up. [6] An ally of the Tea Party movement, McGeachin was considered a possible Republican primary challenger to U.S. Representative Mike Simpson in 2010, but chose not to run. Assorted $1 bills folded into origami shapes, including hearts and bow ties, decorate the side of a Jameson Irish Whiskey mirror above the bar. Sami Edge/Idaho Education News A day after announcing she will run for governor in 2022, Lt. Gov. Henry said she was also a supporter of the task force McGeachin launched last spring when she thrust herself and the state into the fray of national turmoil over the content taught in public schools. Idaho deserves law-abiding leaders, not divisive leaders. Janice McGeachin attends a rally to support semi-truckers and protest against COVID-19 vaccination mandates for employment held in Boise in March. McGeachins May 17 GOP primary is one of Idahos most-watched races, largely because it has determined the governor for the past seven elections in the heavily conservative state. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from Loyola University in Chicago. Idaho Lt. [82] She won the general election with 73% of the vote against Scott Cannon. She more often drops into one in the Wood River Valley, she said, and another, more worship-based congregation in Idaho Falls called Watersprings Church. | Sarah A. Miller smiller@idahostatesman.com. The two got more serious when she moved back to their hometown. All Rights Reserved. 2023 Idaho Ed News. A customer at the end of the bar, from Montana, wants to buy everyone a duck fart.. Janice McGeachin, 57, received $314,727 through two different PPP loans for J.R. McGeachin Inc in April . McGeachin, through a campaign spokesperson, declined a follow-up request from the Statesman for comment about her churchs positions on same-sex marriage and the LGBTQ community. Janice McGeachin and her husband, Jim, stand on the steps of the Idaho State Capitol as she announced her run for Governor in Boise on May 19, 2021. Brian Myrick / Idaho Press. During one of her final pitches to voters, McGeachin closely followed the path laid out before her by right-wing conservatives in the Trump era. She is from NM. The bartender uses a backwards-facing spoon to pour each alcohol into the glass in layers and prevent them from mixing, before handing out the drinks to curious recipients. [74] She opposes Medicaid expansion and was a leading opponent of 2018 Proposition 2, an initiative to expand Medicaid coverage to about 62,000 Idahoans. Lt. Gov. COEUR d'ALENE With an American flag and two crosses in the background at Candlelight Christian Fellowship, Lt. Gov. She met her husband, Jimmy McGeachin, while she was in high school and he attended college at the University of Idaho, she said. [41][38][50] McGeachin issued the order without consulting Little,[38] and against the wishes of state health officials who had sought a statewide mask mandate,[51] which Idaho has never had. Janice McGeachin, who's running for governor, has thrown some of her political weight into a child welfare case involving a 10-month-old baby. She owns an Irish pub in Idaho Falls and co-owns a wholesale automotive parts supply store and a torque converter remanufacturing facility with her husband. "[59], McGeachin was an Idaho presidential elector for the Republican slate in 2020, casting one of Idaho's four electoral votes for Donald Trump; the other Idaho electors that year were Melinda Smyser, Raul Labrador, and Rod Beck. Beck is second only to businessman Frank VanderSloot, who, as owner of Melaleuca Inc., a personal health company also based in Idaho Falls, is ranked on the list of the worlds 400 wealthiest people by Forbes. James Wilson first appeared through internet searches to be a controversial North Idaho evangelist who authored a book applying tenets of warfare to strategic evangelism, but he is not, McGeachins chief of staff Jordan Watters wrote by email May 27. In the past, shes advocated for a sex education opt-in bill and has decried Common Core standards, at one point saying curriculum and textbook providers use Common Core to recommend pornographic books for use in schools, EdNews previously reported. Beck, who also has penned several newspaper op-eds defending McGeachin, told the Statesman he backs her because shes honest, transparent and conservative.. | Sarah A. Miller smiller@idahostatesman.com. Heres what we know about the members so far: Anna Miller, from the Idaho Freedom Foundation, is an active voice in education policy discussions. And this is a manifestation of it in our face. But I think that this is the time that if we dont make the changes that need to happen, Idahos gone for our kids. However, on Monday, a state budget administrator warned McGeachin state law places limitations on the ability to reduce an elected constitutional officer's salary mid-term . Delivering the phone back to McGeachins daughter, he has some advice. McGeachin and her husband also own and operate an auto parts distribution center, a machine shop and two transmission repair shops. Just put your head down and keep going. He replaced Knopp, following his withdrawal from the task force. The contest includes eight candidates, with the top three fundraisers so far being Little, the one-term incumbent and rancher from Emmett; McGeachin, owner of several businesses in Idaho Falls; and newcomer Ed Humphreys, a financial adviser who lives in Eagle. One more for prosperity.. With campaign signs and rolled banners tucked in different corners of the space giving it a just-moved-in ambiance, McGeachins wood-paneled operations base is nondescript. Janice McGeachin is a well-known figure in the United States. Were getting to be too much of a centralized government on the federal level and getting away from what I believe our Founding Fathers intent was, McGeachin said, seated in her campaign headquarters office flanked by a framed photo of her firing an assault-style rifle. Janice McGeachin announces run for Idaho governor, "GOP leaders in Idaho have ties to extremist movement", Idaho healthcare leaders plead for coronavirus mask mandate, Idaho's Anti-Lockdown Lieutenant Governor Has Gone Rogue, "Republican National Convention approaches", "2 more candidates to run for Idaho lieutenant governor", "Janice McGeachin announces Lt. Janice McGeachin stands with her husband Jim in front of the Idaho Capitol building prior to taking the podium to announce her run for governor on May 19. [86][6], Indoctrination task force and public records violations, COVID-19 pandemic and strained relationship with Governor Brad Little, Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 19:27, 2008 Republican Party presidential primaries, 2012 Republican Party presidential primaries, America First Political Action Conference, misinformation to disparage COVID-19 vaccines, nation's lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates, Texas' attempt to overturn the results of the presidential election, "Republican hopes to ride far-right rage into Idaho's governor's office", "Far-right challengers look to upset the status quo in the Idaho governor's primary", "In Idaho governor's race, a far-right candidate leans into extremism", "Representative Janice K. McGeachin's Biography", 5 things to know about Idaho's 1st female lieutenant governor, McGeachin says business experience will help her in lieutenant governor role, Bonneville County Primary Election, May 23, 2000, Lt. Gov. She met her husband, Jimmy McGeachin, while she was in high school and he attended college at the University of Idaho, she said. Trump calls her just about every other week to inquire about the campaign, she said. They dont know who this is.. After the company's acceptance of the PPP funds was publicized, McGeachin said that the company accepted the funds to counter what she called harm "by the heavy hand of government in 2020. In recent months, she has testified in favor of policies targeting critical race theory and social justice in the classroom, at one point saying a controversial bill dealing with critical race theory did not go far enough to oust the content from public schools. Once the pandemic plunged local economies and governments into turmoil during a 37-day statewide, stay-at-home order, McGeachin began openly flouting Littles public health rules. Laura van Voorhees recently moved to Kootenai County from California. Janice McGeachin speaks during a meet-and-greet campaign fundraiser at a Caldwell-area winery in April. But, then again, McGeachin, 59, is a surprise candidate, having emerged from relative anonymity after years away from public office to win the lieutenant governors race four years ago as an underdog. Also joining were nationally known special guests freedom fighters, as McGeachin dubs them including former Fox News commentator Michelle Malkin and Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers, who each endorse McGeachin. However, McGeachin declined to say whether she has been vaccinated for COVID-19, or if she has ever contracted the virus, calling both personal questions.. Malkin has promoted anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric. | Sarah A. Miller smiller@idahostatesman.com. Regardless, McGeachins faithful following has continued to grow. Janice McGeachin walks down the front steps of the Idaho State Capitol building, with her husband Jim, prior to taking the podium to announce her run for Governor,. The two positions run for election separately, rather than as a unified ticket. Ive been pregnant twice. [31] Idaho teachers described McGeachin's committee as a McCarthyist attack on teachers and a distraction from the challenges faced by Idaho's education system in reality. McGeachin was unopposed for the Republican primary[76] and the general election. McGeachin said she leans on her Presbyterian faith and her trust in God when she encounters obstacles. Its just the impact that it has on my family is not easy all the time, because they have to deal with the fallout, and our employees have to deal with that. She went on to defeat Democratic candidate Kristin Collum in the general election with nearly 60% of votes. His research focuses on the politics of families and marriage. Governor to serve the state of Idaho. McGeachin remembers the city back then as a great place to grow up a small and supportive community. 30 talking about this. Conservative Republican & Principled America First Warrior who always stands up for individual rights Hes my best friend, my strongest supporter, and my partner in life, she said. [43] In August 2020, McGeachin headlined a rally organized by the right-wing, conspiracist John Birch Society at the rally in Twin Falls, where speakers decried public health measures to combat the coronavirus. McGeachin also garnered criticism after federal records revealed that she applied for and received more than $314,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, even though she previously said she is opposed to government programs that foster dependency. In a social media post, she defended accepting the coronavirus relief payments for her familys businesses, saying that their employees needed the funds because they had been harmed by government shutdowns and other public health requirements. McGeachins push to become Idahos lead executive is her second campaign for statewide office after a narrow margin of victory in 2018s Republican primary for lieutenant governor. A cadre of Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group with links to white supremacy, also stalked the grounds. Who Is Janice McGeachin's Husband? Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Sami Edge/Idaho Education News (UPDATED: Oct. 19, reflecting the death of Pete Coulson from COVID-19.) EastIdahoNews.com, LLC. The departure had nothing to do with his participation on the task force, Moffett told the Idaho State Journal. Henry, a former Boise School District junior high teacher, said her 12-year-old daughter was bullied and beaten up, and their home address released online, leading to stalking, death threats and two break-in attempts. [8] As a Republican, she was a member of the Idaho House of Representatives from 2002 to 2012. The McGeachins had their first child, a daughter, the year after they married. Ive made my statements about who I am and what I believe in, McGeachin told the Idaho Statesman in a sit-down interview. [29] McGeachin's speech to the conference was criticized by Democrats and some Republicans for its antisemitic and pro-Putin contents. Sex with animals.. Janice is a former State Representative and a successful business owner from Idaho Falls who, along with her husband Jim McGeachin, own and operate multiple businesses in the automotive industry, with stores in Idaho Falls and Boise. In one case this spring, a touring musician took to social media to announce a last-minute cancellation of his scheduled concert there when he found out McGeachin was a co-owner. (We) broke the glass ceiling, and were going to break another glass ceiling., Lt. Gov.
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