(UPDATED, 1:19 p.m., with comment from Idaho Education Association.)

Backed largely by Idaho’s teachers’ union, a Republican-led group opposing school choice has poured nearly $100,000 into legislative primaries in the past week.

And Right 2 Learn is making no secret of its main target: Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls. The co-chair of the budget-writing Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, Horman supports providing state-supported tax credits for private schools.

Idaho Education News first reported last week on Right 2 Learn and its ties to the Idaho Education Association. Since then, Right 2 Learn’s spending has surged. Right 2 Learn has also received additional support from the IEA as the union doubles down against Horman, who has for years played a lead role in writing and sponsoring K-12 budget bills.

Here’s a rundown on the week’s activity:

• Since Thursday, Right 2 Learn has spent a total of $99,159.
• More than two-thirds of the money has gone into a single GOP legislative primary: a House race in Bonneville County’s legislative District 32. Right 2 Learn has spent $41,833 in support of Ammon Mayor Sean Coletti, a staunch opponent of state funding for private schools, mechanisms that fall under the heading of school choice. Right 2 Learn has spent an additional $26,488 in negative messaging against Horman, who sponsored a $50 million private school tax credit and grant bill that died in House committee in March. Horman, Coletti and GOP national committeeman Bryan Smith are squaring off in Tuesday’s primary.
• Right 2 Learn has dabbled in a few other primaries where school choice is a prominent issue. In the spendy Senate race in North Idaho’s District 1, the group has spent $4,974 supporting former Sen. James Woodward and $6,381 in opposition to Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle, a vocal supporter of spending plans that fall under the heading of school choice. The group has spent $3,933 in support of Rep. Melissa Durrant, R-Kuna, and $3,509 on behalf of Rep. Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa. Both cast crucial votes against Horman’s private school tax bill in House committee.
• On Tuesday, the IEA’s Political Action Committee for Education contributed another $40,000 to Right 2 Learn, bringing its total contributions to $90,000.

In a statement Wednesday, IEA spokesman Mike Journee said union members “are enthusiastic about the dozens of conservative pro-public education candidates running this year, including Mayor Coletti.”