Giddings speaks in Pinehurst

PINEHURST — The Shoshone County Republicans hosted a special Town Hall meeting at the P-K Lions Club Monday night where Idaho’s District 7 Representative Priscilla Giddings was able to discuss relevant issues for her conservative constituency in an easy to follow question and answer format.

Giddings was also able to make a special announcement regarding a new commemorative coin.

Among the topics that Giddings fielded questions on were things like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, supporting local militias, and explaining some of the behind the scenes issues regarding the Republican party in Idaho.

One of Giddings’ proudest accomplishments over the recent months happened during the emergency session that was called during the lockdown phase of the pandemic and surrounded protecting people’s right to in-person voting.

“It was a total God-thing,” Giddings said. “I can’t remember the name, but it was like Mike up here in Shoshone County called and left a message on my phone and said, ‘I want to be able to vote in person gosh dangit,’ and I thought, well — you should be able to vote in person, no one has talked about not being able to vote in person.”

Giddings discussed how the Primary Election in May was seven weeks away when Gov. Brad Little’s state of emergency went into effect, which included asking people to vote by mail, but Giddings was able to pen legislation in favor of allowing people to have the right to vote in person.

The legislation passed the Idaho House and Senate.

“It flew through the House — and usually there’s this brick wall between the House and the Senate, but it went through the Senate as well,” Giddings said. “It was a total God-thing, it started with a constituent in Shoshone County. No matter what, you’re going to be able to vote in person.”

Giddings roused her crowd when she discussed how she felt that the emergency session yielded more conservative legislation than anything else and praised the efforts of groups like the Shoshone County Republicans.

“The good news is that our conservative group in Idaho is growing,” Giddings said. “We are pushing back harder than ever before. It’s a constant push, you can never give up.”

Giddings also unveiled a special coin celebrating Idaho’s female veterans.

A Major in the United States Air Force Reserve, Giddings was awarded "Top Gun" as an A-10 fighter pilot and received Idaho's 2018 Outstanding Woman Veteran Award, which made her the perfect candidate to unveil the coin.

Minted by the Sunshine Mint, the Idaho Women Veterans Medallion celebrates all Idaho Women Veterans during the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage and features Judith Blake Eighmy (U.S. Navy), Carrie L. French (Idaho Army National Guard), Kay Gott Chaffey (Women’s Air Service Pilots — WASP), Wanda Pollard (U.S. Navy), and Carmelita Pope (USO Officer).

Priscilla Giddings (R) is running unopposed in the general election for Idaho House of Representatives District 7A on Nov. 3.