Senate Education chairman faces censure

Senate Education Committee Chairman John Goedde — facing a full summer on K-12 issues — is also facing some unrest at home.

Goedde
Sen. John Goedde

The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee will meet Tuesday night to consider censuring Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, and three House Republicans who supported creating a state-run health insurance exchange.

The censure resolution — posted online at the Spokane Spokesman-Review’s website — accuses Goedde and the three House Republicans of ignoring the will of the central committee and constituents by supporting a health exchange.

(Here’s more about the censure story from the Coeur d’Alene Press.)

Goedde sits on Gov. Butch Otter’s 31-member education reform task force, which is expected to submit recommendations to the governor on Aug. 23. Goedde also is co-chairman of a legislative interim committee that will study K-12 issues. That committee hasn’t met yet.

While the censure fight doesn’t relate to those education issues, it should be interesting to education observers. Is it a sign that Goedde could face opposition, from the right flank, in the 2014 GOP primary?

 

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 35 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. He can be reached at [email protected]

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