Idaho State Senate and Shoshone County Precinct Committeeman: Phil Hart (R)

Phil Hart is seeking the position of State Senator for Legislative District 2 and believes that the key issues facing Idaho voters today are the increase in real property values/the taxes on real property, the overreach of government agencies claiming emergency powers, and the integrity of elections. Hart, 66, is also running for the position of Shoshone County Republican Precinct Committeeman.

In the state senate race, he is running against Jon Cantamessa and Bill Hasz in the GOP Primary for the open seat.

His immediate family includes one adult daughter who is working on a PhD in Chinese Medicine.

For education, Hart earned a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering in 1980 from the University of Utah and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1984.

He says that he currently works as a licensed Professional Engineer Civil and Structural Engineer after serving 7 years on the Remington Water District Board and 8 years in the Legislature as a member of the House of Representatives.

In 2011 while serving in the House of Representatives, Hart authored House Bill 343 which allowed for a declaration of emergency due to the increasing wolf population in Idaho.

“When the bill was passed by the Legislature and before the Governor had a chance to sign the bill, Congress took the wolves off of the endangered species list and turned management of the wolves over to the state of Idaho,” he explained.

He adds that Congress also limited the jurisdiction of the federal courts, so no one could sue over the issue. He believes that this was in response to his bill, such that Idaho did not need to declare the emergency.

“Now Idaho wildlife professionals manage the wolves in Idaho.”

In addition to his work in the legislature, he also authored an exhaustively researched 450 page book about the history of the income tax titled Constitutional Income.

If elected to the positions he is seeking, Hart will continue his track record of standing for conservative values.

“When I served previously in the Legislature, I had an Idaho Freedom Foundation score of 93, which was in the top five of the entire Legislature. This score reflects my commitment to fighting for low taxes and limited government. I will do the same if elected to the Idaho Senate.”