Signs point to Little-McGeachin showdown

Idaho primary elections are just a year away, and although a few statewide races are shaping up, not much has been said about the top of the ticket.

Don’t worry. Announcements are forthcoming.

Ed Humphreys of Eagle, who during the session promoted controversial legislation regarding critical race theory, has thrown his hat in the ring for governor, but he won’t be alone for long. Gov. Brad Little is expected to announce his re-election bid soon and there’s at least a possibility that Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin will join the fray on the GOP side.

Under “normal” circumstances, Little practically would be a lock for a second term. Sitting governors in Idaho typically have no problem winning elections … but these are not normal times. The coronavirus pandemic fell into Little’s lap just more than a year ago and, overall, he has handled the situation with the kind of calmness that Idahoans have learned to expect from this veteran political figure. He has listened to health experts, statewide and nationally, and communicated his actions through numerous news conferences and weekly conferences with AARP. Through it all, Idaho’s economy has done relatively well under the circumstances, and Little can take credit for the management.

But not everybody has been pleased with his handling of the pandemic, with McGeachin being among the harshest of critics. Lawmakers have resisted his powers pertaining to emergency orders and his decisions to spend federal money without the Legislature’s consent.

It’s no surprise that Little is facing opposition for re-election, and McGeachin’s entry would give the Gem State a marquee race. Talking with Humphreys, who at 30 left his practice as a financial adviser to run for governor, he plans to make a lot of noise during this campaign. So, buckle up voters; it will be an eventful year.

Three years ago, Little was the pride and joy of the GOP establishment — the trusted figure who would provide the state with steady and predictable conservative leadership. Those dynamics may be different this time, and especially with McGeachin in the race. She’s no Donald Trump, but she is a strong Trump loyalist and she’s captured some of his style. The establishment certainly will rally behind Little again, but the growing right-wing base belongs to McGeachin, which is a good thing to have in a Republican primary.

Recently, McGeachin appeared in a “town hall” with Kootenai County Republicans and about all that was lacking was her announcing a run for governor. Borrowing from Trump, McGeachin made a couple of “fake news” references about the media, which seemed to go over well with Kootenai County crowd.

If Little had been there, he might have been booed off the stage. The night belonged to McGeachin.

Here are a few highlights from her talk:

• The governor’s declaration of some workers as “essential” during the early stages of the pandemic which, as McGeachin put it, placed a large number of hard-working Idahoans as “non-essential.”

• McGeachin described Little’s designation as a “slap in the face” to many Idahoans and talked about people having “tears in their eyes.”

• She said the governor’s veto of the emergency orders, and the small group of senators who stood by that veto, was a “gut punch to us,” violating individual rights, sovereign rights as a state and conservative principles.

• The Senate’s decision to uphold the veto, she said, showed “a lack of leadership.” Strong leadership would have called for consequences, such as stripping offending committee chairmen of their leadership positions. Eventually, Little signed a bill that was not too far off from the one he vetoed.

And, of course, she talked plenty about her latest venture — ending the spread of liberal indoctrination in our education system, which was one of Trump’s battles during his presidency. She is putting together a task force to dive into the issue, with a promise to root out critical race theory in Idaho’s education system.

Little has raised some timid objections to the tone of the debate, but basically has conceded the issue to McGeachin.

Little, of course, will be saying more about that and other issues once he enters the race. For McGeachin, who has done plenty of self-promotion during this year’s session, it would be pointless for her to do anything but run for governor.

• • •

Chuck Malloy, a longtime Idaho journalist and Silver Valley native, is a columnist with Idaho Politics Weekly. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com.