Sens. Russell Fulcher and Steven Thayn are speaking to a Coeur d’Alene group next Monday — but one of the organizers says the agenda is about policies, not politics.
The group calls itself MP2 — and according to its Facebook page, the group says its goal is to increase prosperity “by motivating people to become more productive.”
Here’s how MP2 secretary Melissa Thomas described the North Idaho College forum, according to Dave Oliveria’s Huckleberries Online blog at the Spokane Spokesman-Review: “This will be a panel discussion with local legislators previewing legislation dealing with Common Core, county indigent fund, Medicaid expansion, Obamacare, and other education issues.”
Of course, neither Fulcher nor Thayn are what Panhandle voters would consider “local legislators.”
Fulcher has one obvious motivation for a long road trip; the Meridian Republican is openly talking about challenging Gov. Butch Otter in May. But what about Thayn? While he represents a far-flung legislative district — stretching across Boise, Custer, Gem, Lemhi and Valley counties — Thayn’s district doesn’t quite extend to North Idaho.
Recently, Thayn told Idaho Education News that he wasn’t looking at running for state superintendent of public instruction. “I have no plans to run for another office. I suppose it is slightly possible; however, I don’t see why I would.”
Which may be so.
But two things are worth keeping in mind.
Thayn recently co-wrote a recent letter panning the Idaho Core Standards, one of Superintendent Tom Luna’s favorite initiatives. And Coeur d’Alene is a long way from Thayn’s home district.
