Delivering the phone back to McGeachins daughter, he has some advice. One more for prosperity.. Karen McGee is a former Idaho State Board of Education executive director and president. | Kevin Fixler, kfixler@idahostatesman.com. Much of the ongoing feud appears to have arisen from the governors decisions during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic helping inspire her to become the second lieutenant governor since 1932 to take on the Idaho governor in a primary, according to Kettlers analysis. 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. 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. [5] But I think that this is the time that if we dont make the changes that need to happen, Idahos gone for our kids. Lt. Gov. 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. "[33], In August 2021, a state judge fined McGeachin $750 for violating the Idaho Public Records Act by failing to turn over documents requested by the Idaho Press Club. Little Says He Hasn't Spoken To Lt. Gov McGeachin In Weeks, Cases of coronavirus in Idaho spike after businesses reopen, Lt. Gov. Isaac Moffett founded the now-defunct Nampa Classical Academy and drew headlines in 2009 when his school sued the state in hopes of using the Bible and other religious texts in his charter schools curriculum. Branden Durst hopes to win the May 17 GOP state superintendents primary by running against all things Sherri Ybarra and Debbie Critchfield. As lieutenant governor, McGeachin aligned herself with Donald Trump and frequently clashed with Little. All rights reserved, If you choose local pickup, please get your gift certificate at our office at 400 W. Sunnyside in Idaho Falls Dismiss, defended accepting the coronavirus relief payments, Man charged with murder in Dylan Rounds case, Caught on camera: Moose charges snowmobilers by Palisades, Man allegedly kidnapped woman, held air freshener to her nose and mouth, Giant flying insect found on Walmart building turns out to be Jurassic-era find, Video shows suspect with blood stains as he cleaned gun following Dylan Rounds disappearance, charges say. The family spends leisure time skiing, camping and playing golf, although McGeachin calls herself more of a hacker out on the fairways. "[43] By July 2020, after the state's economy had reopened, Idaho saw a spike in coronavirus cases. Traditionally the officeholder in the bench-warmer spot has waited until the governor chose to end his run, or transitioned to a federal position. McGeachin now appears to be following the same political formula that led to Trumps rapid rise, Thompson said, including his defeat of President Joe Biden in Idaho in 2020 by nearly 31 percentage points, despite losing the national election. Lt. Gov. I believe shes the best person for the job, and the fact that she is a woman is a bonus.. A federal district court later shot down the practice in 2011, the Associated Press reported. A member of the Idaho Liberty Dogs, a right-wing citizen group, stands guard with a holstered handgun, walkie-talkie and earpiece at a campaign rally for Lt. Gov. | Kevin Fixler kfixler@idahostatesman.com. The Janice McGeachin for governor campaign displays signs and pamphlets that prominently show former President Donald Trumps endorsement. She was inspired to enter the race to help address the communitys rapid growth, and what she felt was a lack of planning to go with it, McGeachin recalled. McGeachins office previously said he has worked in school administration and social work. As part of a 10-point platform in her first 100 days as governor, McGeachin said she will work to prevent and eliminate all pandemic-related public health mandates, add incentives to increase production of firearms and ammunition in the state and strengthen abortion restrictions. She also was a member of the Teddy Bears, the schools choreographed drill team, and involved in student council her sophomore year. Id say shes more withdrawn today, Winder, who supports Little, told the Statesman. But in some legislative races, outside political groups might have played a bigger and more far-reaching role. 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. [6][7], McGeachin unsuccessfully ran for Bonneville County commissioner in 2000, her first bid for elected office. [36] The legislature declined McGeachin's request to have the costs of the settlement paid by the state budget. | Sarah A. Miller smiller@idahostatesman.com. Janice McGeachin presented her 10-point gubernatorial platform for her first 100 days in office during a press conference on the Idaho Capitol steps in March. Shes marvelous. McGeachin lists the First Presbyterian Church of Idaho Falls on her campaign website, but said she hasnt regularly attended the church for a couple years. PHOTOS: Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin announces run for governor [66], In May 2021, McGeachin filed as a candidate seeking election as governor of Idaho in 2022, challenging incumbent governor Brad Little in the Republican primary. 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. Its pronounced Ma-Gee-in.. McGeachin announces indoctrination task force members Janice McGeachin and the scandal that wasn't - Idaho Freedom Janice McGeachin: 5 things about Idaho's 1st female lt. gov. | Idaho | Sarah A. Miller smiller@idahostatesman.com. He left the school in 2010 and has worked as a teacher and school administrator since, according to his LinkedIn page. Clearly the campaign believes its an important credential to highlight, she added. That was as true as ever, she said, almost 46 years ago when she was in junior high and the Teton Dam failed, flooding southeastern Idaho. In addition, McGeachin threw open the doors of her familys pub in Idaho Falls before the order preventing bars from reopening lapsed. "[49], In May 2021, after Little left the state to attend a Republican Governors' Association conference in Nashville, Tennessee, making McGeachin acting governor in his absence, she issued an executive order that barred the state and Idaho counties, cities, public school districts, and public universities from adopting mask mandates. Just put your head down and keep going. McGeachin has been married to Jim McGeachin for quite some time. 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. "[47][39], In November 2020, McGeachin submitted a proposal to Governor Little's Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee, seeking to spend $17 million in federal COVID-19 aid funds to purchase and operate two "walk-through disinfectant cubes" at the Idaho state Capitol. Late last week, Idaho Lt. 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. poses with protesters in support of standoff prisoner", "McGeachin in statement: 'I wholeheartedly reject bigotry and discrimination', Dangerous Embrace of the Militia Movement, "Marjorie Taylor Greene Speaks At White Nationalist Conference", Idaho Lt. Gov. [74] In the voter pamphlet, she contended, "The federal government has become too restrictive in how we teach our kids, manage health care, build our roads and manage our resources. Idaho governor and lieutenant governor get into Twitter fight over state's executive orders, Idaho's 4 electors cast votes for Trump and Pence, "Motion For Leave (1) To File Brief Of Lieutenant Governor Janice Mcgeachin, Senator Lora Reinbold, Representative David Eastman, Et Al (Elected State Officials) As Amici Curiae In Support Of Plaintiff, And (2) To Do So In An Unbound Format On 8 12-By-11-Inch Paper, And (3) To Do So Without Ten Days' Advance Notice To The Parties", "Texas wants to overturn millions of votes. Janice McGeachin, take questions during a meet-and-greet campaign fundraiser at a Caldwell-area winery in April. 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. "[34] A civil suit brought against McGeachin by the Idaho Press Club was settled in November 2021, with a court ordered McGeachin to pay the club almost $29,000 in fees and costs. He replaced Knopp, following his withdrawal from the task force. Idaho Lt. Gov. And Idaho will reduce its financial dependency on the federal government, she said, building to a crescendo. "[6] She accused the Biden administration of seeking to indoctrinate schoolchildren in "Marxist, socialist ideology" and believes that Idaho should promote "state sovereignty" by rejecting federal funds for a variety of programs. They dont know who this is.. Excuse me, I really like what youre doing here, he says, to which she thanks him, and chats for a moment. The two got more serious when she moved back to their hometown. Sami Edge/Idaho Education News (UPDATED: Oct. 19, reflecting the death of Pete Coulson from COVID-19.) McGeachin on Fauci: I'll "lock him up", "Idaho Gov. We must actively support those with the courage to resist tyranny. Ive said many times, Id jump in front of a bus for her, she told the audience at the winery fundraiser. Ive been pregnant twice. 2023 Idaho Ed News. The fowl-named drink is a layered shooter, made of one part Kahlua, one part Irish cream and one part whiskey. She committed to tightening voting requirements, protecting individual liberties, eliminating leftist ideology she claimed is being taught in public schools, and ending the barbaric practice of murdering pre-born babies unconditionally, she said. 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. Jason Knopp is the vice chairman of the Melba School Districts board. It makes us feel happy that they want to continue to be part of our companies and continue to stay in our community.. (VanderSloot and his wife, Belinda, each donated campaign maximums of $5,000 to Little. Will that be a really impactful endorsement, or not really a defining kind of factor in determining outcomes? "[38] Little said that McGeachin's order "unilaterally and unlawfully" forbade local officials from determining public-health policies in their own jurisdictions and would have forbidden the state from enforcing protective measures for social workers from making home visits to at-risk patients, or for employees in state testing labs. Online, the church describes its belief that marriage is the exclusive union between one woman and one man. [82] She won the general election with 73% of the vote against Scott Cannon. As a man in the audience yelled a vulgarity about Little referencing the female anatomy, drawing laughter from the crowd, McGeachin accused the incumbent governor of losing touch with Idaho values, and turning his back on residents during the pandemic. Follow Blake on Twitter @jonesblakej. Idaho Statesman reporters Ian Max Stevenson and Ryan Suppe contributed. [81], McGeachin was unopposed for the Republican primary. [30][31] Committee members discussed proposals to abolish the Idaho State Board of Education. It worked, despite Littles own past support for Trump. 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. 'Never back down': How Janice McGeachin rose from anonymity to Trump's The pop-up ministry has since grown, and now takes up weekly Sunday residency in the conjoined convention center at the Shilo Inn Hotel, a stones throw from the highway interchange of Interstate 15 and U.S. 20. 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. McGeachin said she leans on her Presbyterian faith and her trust in God when she encounters obstacles. Idaho is one of 20 U.S. states that has never had a female governor. The hourlong service mixed prayers, Christian-inspired acoustic country and a weekly poem, all built around Browns sermon. Janice McGeachin spoke virtually at an event organized by White nationalist Nick Fuentes in Florida at the end of February.. [42] During the pandemic, McGeachin repeatedly criticized Little for taking steps (such as closing physical businesses) to prevent the spread of the disease. Educated at the University of Arizona, McGeachin owned several businesses in Idaho Falls. | Sarah A. Miller smiller@idahostatesman.com. [55] A surge in COVID-19 cases first strained, and then surpassed, the capacity of the state's health care system. About halfway through, he reminded attendees about various forms of sin in the eyes of God. [45] In a May 2020 editorial, McGeachin wrote that, "I lose sleep at night because the heavy hand of our government is hurting so many Idahoans. Janice McGeachin: The Donald Trump of Idaho Idaho Tribune When they passed gay marriage, they opened Pandoras box. At a March rally in southeast Boise for semi-truckers headed to Washington, D.C., to protest pandemic-related restrictions, McGeachin defended her fiery platform and her supporters to the crowd gathered on a small lawn next to a highway offramp truck stop. Idaho deserves law-abiding leaders, not divisive leaders. [40] The clashes intensified amid an intra-party split among Republicans on COVID-19 vaccinations, masks, and pandemic-related issues, on which traditional Republicans and the far-right disagreed. 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. [77], McGeachin was unopposed for the Republican primary[78] and for the general election. Among their favorite ski resorts are Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole, both in Wyoming near the Idaho border, and Sun Valley, where the family also owns a home just south of Ketchum. [8] As a Republican, she was a member of the Idaho House of Representatives from 2002 to 2012. She does get national exposure for our state, and, at least in my opinion, it hasnt been to the benefit of the state as a whole.. She also inquired with the Idaho National Guard about ordering troops to the U.S.-Mexico border that Little was visiting. The federal government has become too restrictive in how we teach our kids, manage health care, build our roads and manage our resources." Janice McGeachin (@JaniceMcGeachin) November 8, 2016 McGeachin, 57, was a delegate for Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican National Convention, and vice-chair of Idaho's statewide. McGeachin claims foul play on Little for leaving the state I was hoping that he would see the virtue of keeping it in place, she said. [68] While addressing a crowd of fellow Republicans at a campaign appearance, McGeachin criticized the Boise Police Department and Boise State University for holding a conference to study right-wing extremism, and said of Anthony Fauci (the U.S. government's top infectious disease scientist): "we'll lock him up. "[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. | Sarah A. Miller smiller@idahostatesman.com. Brian Myrick / Idaho Press. A federal appeals court overturned Idahos ban on same-sex marriage in 2014, and the U.S. Supreme Court legalized it across all 50 states a year later. 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. 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. 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. It makes me feel good that both Jimmy and I have created a life for them that they want to be close to their parents, McGeachin said. The McGeachins two adult children run an Irish pub the family owns in a historic building they restored in downtown Idaho Falls. After briefly stepping away from dinner, Janice McGeachin returns, but is stopped by an older patron at the bar, who is enjoying his second beer and identifies himself as Skip. Crowd of 100 at Idaho Capitol came to support McGeachin for governor His pick for governor in Nebraska, alleged sexual abuser Charles Herbster, failed to make it through the primary last week. All Rights Reserved. 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. It now acts as the nerve center for Republican Janice McGeachins upstart political ambitions for governor. But shes a hard worker for what we stand for maintaining our republic. He wondered aloud whether the change is because she no longer feels supported by the state GOP, or because the majority of lawmakers are more in line with Little. First, in May, she banned mask mandates by state and local authorities while Little was attending a Republican Governors Association conference in Tennessee.