Private school choice backers pour $85,000 into legislative races

A group pushing for private school choice has sunk more than $50,000 into a spendy Senate race in West Boise.

All told, the Idaho Federation for Children has spent more than $85,000 in next week’s general election. This same PAC — tied with the American Federation for Children, a pro-school group — spent more than $300,000 in the May GOP primary, and helped to unseat two school choice opponents.

Independent campaign spending is down considerably this fall, but the spending does shine a spotlight on a handful of competitive races — and the hypercharged Proposition 1 election.

Idaho Federation for Children has spent $53,259 campaigning against Sen. Rick Just, D-Boise, and another $3,157 in support of Just’s GOP opponent, former Rep. Codi Galloway. Just and Galloway are squaring off in a rematch in West Boise’s legislative District 15, one of Idaho’s few swing legislative districts.

Idaho Federation for Children has also spent $14,675 campaigning against Mary Shea, a Pocatello Democrat challenging Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello; $11,002 against Kathy Dawes, a Moscow Democrat taking on Rep. Brandon Mitchell, R-Moscow; and $3,157.42 on behalf of District 15 Rep. Dori Healey, R-Boise, who is facing Boise Democrat Shari Baber next week.

In other independent spending thumbnails:

  • A trio of Boise groups have spent more than $55,500 supporting Democrats and opposing Republicans in swing districts. This includes $10,110 spent against Boise Republican Annette Tipton, who is opposing District 15 Rep. Steve Berch, D-Boise; $8,888 spent against Galloway; and $8,530 opposing Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Viola, who faces Moscow Democrat Julia Parker next week. Stronger Idaho, Idaho Liberty Defense and Accountable Idaho are all chaired by A.K. Leinhart-Minnick of Boise. Stronger Idaho is aligned with the Idaho Education Association; its PAC contributed $30,000 to Stronger Idaho in September.
  • Two other groups — Make Liberty Win, aligned with Young Americans for Liberty, and the Idaho Freedom PAC — have spent $5,542 in the past week on Foreman’s behalf.
  • Idaho Chooses Life has spent $6,515 in District 15, campaigning against the Democratic slate of Just, Berch and Baber.

Proposition 1 spending

The initiative to reshape Idaho elections — converting primaries into an open race where the top four candidates advance, and instituting ranked-choice voting in the general election — continues to draw late interest from Idaho donors.

Idaho Rising, a PAC headed by House Speaker Mike Moyle, has put another $50,000 into anti-Prop 1 advertising. The group has spent a total of $321,000 in opposition to Prop 1.

Idaho Falls-based Melaleuca Inc. has spent $12,497 directly against Prop 1. Melaleuca has also been a major donor to Idaho Rising.

Fueled largely by out-of-state donors, Prop 1 supporters have assumed a large fundraising edge heading into the latter stages of the race.

Click here for more elections news, including in-depth stories on key legislative races.

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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