The race for secretary of state is, ahem, heating up, with Phil McGrane making a novel entrance.
The deputy Ada County clerk is launching his Republican bid at 5 p.m. today at the Ada County Courthouse. And he’s planning to give out free barbecue, which stands to reason; as the Idaho Statesman’s Dan Popkey reports, McGrane is a competitive barbecue chef.
McGrane also lists support from nine county clerks and Ada County’s three Republican commissioners.
So here’s your up-to-the-minute rundown of who’s running to succeed the retiring Ben Ysursa. McGrane joins state Rep. Lawerence Denney of Midvale, who has already announced his run. Former state Sen. Mitch Toryanski, a Boise Republican, has named a campaign treasurer; that’s a precursor to a possible run. State Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene, is considering the race. So is Rep. Holli Woodings, D-Boise.
The secretary of state is Idaho’s top elections official, and one of five members of the Idaho Land Board, which sets endowment land policy that affects public school budgets, to the tune of $31.3 million annually.
