Two newcomers running for seat held by retiring Rep. Gary Marshall in District 32

IDAHO FALLS — Two Republicans are facing off in the primary race for District 32’s Seat A in the Idaho House of Representatives.

Nicholas T. Christiansen and Stephanie Mickelsen are looking to take over the position as incumbent Rep. Gary Marshall is retiring from the legislature.

To learn more about the candidate’s platform, EastIdahoNews.com sent the same seven questions to each legislative candidate. Their responses were required to be 250 words or less. Their answers are listed below.

More information on Christiansen can be found on his Facebook page, website and Instagram account.

More information on Mickelsen can be found on her Facebook page and website.

Tell us about yourself — include information about your family, career, education, volunteer work and any prior experience in public office.

Christiansen: I am a devoted husband and father of five children. I’m a native Idahoan, though I have moved and worked all over the U.S. throughout my 16 years in Radiological Controls. I have a bachelor’s degree in Radiation Protection through Thomas Edison State University. I was the Radiological Controls Manager for the Materials and Fuels Complex at the Idaho National Laboratory before they fired me for speaking out against the vaccination mandates.

I have volunteered in my church and as a coach for the Warriors Lacrosse team in Bonneville School District 93. I’ve never held a public office and never wanted to be in politics. I’ve joined in now because I feel like we’re losing our freedoms at an incredible rate, and we need a different type of person in office.

I think that most people just want to be left alone to live their lives, as they see fit, without interference from other people, entities or governments. We can’t do that right now, and it needs to change.

Mickelsen: I’m Stephanie Mickelsen and I was born in Bonneville County, graduated from Blackfoot High School and BYU-I. I married my husband Mark, less than a year out of high school. We started farming that same year. We have, along with great business partners, built our farming, potato packing and processing into a business that now employs over 400 people in our area.

I am the CFO/Risk Manager for Mickelsen Farms, LLC. I learned early on in our farming that being involved in our community was essential. I have served in many different capacities in my community and church but some of my favorites have been: Art mom and room mother at Templeview Elementary School; Bonneville County Farm Bureau Board Member and later County President; former Precinct Committee Officer and Legislative District Chair for our local Republican Party; former President Bonneville County Republican Women.

Currently, I serve on the Idaho Farm Bureau State Board; Bonneville Jefferson Ground Water District Chair; Water District 120 Treasurer, Co-Chair of the Idaho Groundwater User Association; Chair of the American Farm Bureau Agriculture Labor Committee; Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Board Member; and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees College of Eastern Idaho.

I am passionate about community involvement. When presented with a new opportunity, I have to choose to lean in and learn. This has given me a wealth of experience, grown my perspective and encouraged me in my endeavor to build a strong family and community.

What are your proudest accomplishments in your personal life or career?

Mickelsen: My family is my greatest accomplishment. I’ve been married to my awesome husband Mark for over 34 years, and we have four outstanding children with their spouses and 12 grandchildren.

On a professional level, one of my proudest accomplishments has come from working with other concerned community members to create the College of Eastern Idaho, which now serves over 3,000 students in our area.

Christiansen: Without a doubt, my proudest accomplishment in life is my children. We have great kids. They’re smart, active, strong and good-natured. Raising children is a challenge, and I can’t say that I’ve been great at it, but it’s one that is proving to be worth it. I love my kids fiercely and am so proud of all of them.

In my professional life, my proudest accomplishment was landing the RadCon Manager job at MFC. I had worked very hard to get to the point where I was a viable candidate for that position and my hard work paid off. The odds were against me, and I persevered and won out.

Why are you a member of the Republican/Democrat/Independent/Other party? Briefly explain your political platform.

Christiansen: I’m a member of the Republican Party because I believe in the Republican
platform. Among other things,

• I believe in God. I know He has established this state and nation as a land of freedom.
• I have supreme confidence in the ability of the People to govern themselves through our republican form of government.
• I work to defend individual liberty and understand that our freedoms come from God, not the state. A huge part of individual rights is property rights. Each person has a right to that which they legally earned.
• I know the traditional, nuclear family is the foundation of the Idaho and American society and believe it must be protected and encouraged.
• I believe in limited government power and influence. Constitutions were written to limit the governments, not limit the people. The various constitutions are enumerated powers that we the People have given to make a stable society. Any government action outside the constitution is illegal, usurpation and tyranny, and our elected officials must be held accountable for that.
• Government must exercise fiscal responsibility and transparency because ALL money that a government has was taken from the People and governments are, therefore, beholden to the People for its use.
• I understand the unique resources and culture that we have in this state when it comes to agriculture. I have strong family ties to the Ag industry and will work to ensure we have a viable, strong and competitive industry.

Mickelsen: I am a Republican that believes in less government regulation, fiscally conservative government, low taxes and properly funded education for all Idaho students. And perhaps most importantly, local control of school, city and county governments.

I think that the next challenge the Idaho Legislature must tackle is comprehensive property tax reform. We must have fair property taxes for all Idahoans.

What are the greatest challenges facing Idahoans?

Mickelsen: Idahoans are facing explosive growth, which has led to increased property taxes, add to that Biden’s ridiculous inflation and we are facing significant stress on Idaho families. Many of our senior citizens are beginning to wonder if they will be able to stay in their homes as they enter retirement.

Of course, education continues to be a priority for Idahoans. Eastern Idaho schools need to adjust and adapt to current educational needs and trends, including career paths for students that don’t want to go to college but have talent and skills to offer employers in our area.

Christiansen: I believe that the single greatest threat to Idahoans (and Americans) is our government officials. We have tyrants and usurpers that are running various governments all around us. Elected officials that have gone outside the constitutions of our land and aren’t being held accountable by others in the various government(s).

Our liberties are being stripped from us at an alarming rate and it’s impacting our economy, our ability to work, our ability to raise our children, our ability to be secure in our persons and our very ability to live our lives.

I believe that if our government(s) were to be put back inside the framework of the various constitutions, many of the evils and perils that we face in our society would dwindle to mere annoyances.

How will you best represent the views of your constituents – even those with differing political views?

Christiansen: First, I will work to understand those views and not assume that I know what everyone is thinking. I intend to hold quarterly meetings wherein people can voice their concerns to/with me and let me know their thoughts. I will do this in person and virtually, so people have the greatest chance for access. And of course, I can be reached via mail, email, phone, text, or through my various social media sites.

Second, I commit to considering every point of view that I’ve been made aware of in the decision-making process. I will make decisions based on what the People think is best for Idaho rather than special interests. When I’m unsure what the People want, I will default to ensuring their freedom first.

Mickelsen: Nationally and within our state, some love to focus on our differences, however, when you move issues down to the local level, I believe common ground can be found. Respect for differing opinions and information can bring about the best solutions at the end of the day. I have found from my diverse experiences that keeping an open mind can be an incredible asset.

What role do lobbying entities play in the decision-making of Idaho legislators?

Mickelsen: Lobbying entities in the state can play an important role in gathering and disseminating information from those they represent. Some lobbying groups use non-reliable sources, and those groups should be ignored. Senators and representatives should never look to special interest groups to tell them how to vote on issues.

Scoring on bills, bullying tactics and threats to influence elected representatives has no place in the legislature. The legislature ultimately has accountability to the voters that placed them in office and not to special interest groups. Powerful lobbying groups like the Idaho Freedom Foundation do not have the best interests of Idahoans in mind.

Christiansen: Currently, lobbying entities and special interest groups play a very large role in the decision-making process. I find that appalling. I attended some of the special legislative session in November 2021 and watched as the needs of the Idaho citizens were ignored and the special interest groups were represented.

I heard more about the rights of businesses than I did about the rights of the People. We were promised a government of the People, by the People and for the People. What we have right now is a government of Special Interests, by Special Interests and for Special Interests. This needs to stop. The only way to stop it is to elect people that can’t be bought, bullied or intimidated. I’m one of those people.

How can you encourage compromise, debate, and a bipartisan approach to introducing new legislation in Idaho?

Christiansen: I will always encourage debate amongst the legislators with the hope of learning new viewpoints and educating others on mine. I believe that debates are essential to good legislation. I know that in the arena of ideas, truth and right will always win out if given an honest chance.

As for compromise and bipartisan approaches, I’m not interested in compromising with socialists. I believe we’ve done all the compromising we can afford with the Marxists that are threatening to take over our state and nation and don’t intend to play softball with socialists. If we want a free state, a free nation and a free people, we must maintain that freedom by holding the line and declaring that we will go no further down this pathway to communism.

As for new legislation, I tend to think that we have more legislation than we need. We have a lot of good legislation on the books, but we have quite a few laws that aren’t so great. We have so many laws that many people have no idea what they are.

I’d like to see a reduction in the laws and regulations put upon the People, recognizing that governments are instituted among men for specific reasons and those reasons don’t include being a nanny, taxing people to the brink of poverty or taking care of their every need.

Mickelsen: By focusing on problems rather than people, and solutions rather than stereotypes, all stakeholders can share, debate and inform. There will be times when hard decisions must be made and I’m ready to take a stand when necessary. When we take the long view of a problem rather than a 10-second soundbite, we can solve the problems of our area and state.

The College of Eastern Idaho was a perfect example of working together. Over 70% of voters approved the community college because all stakeholders concerns were listened to and addressed where possible. And then, the voters spoke. I am proud of Eastern Idaho and know what great things we can accomplish when we work together.

What parts of Idaho government could benefit from additional state funding? What part of Idaho government could be improved with financial cutbacks?

Mickelsen: Idaho has limited resources and taxpayers shouldn’t be indentured servants to unlimited government needs. By having a long-term plan for growth, infrastructure and education; we can invest our tax dollars rather than just spend them. There is waste in every government entity at some level just like in all household’s budgets. The real questions come when we have a vision and plan.

We need to be far more efficient in our building and infrastructure projects. I recently read a report that it costs 5 to 10 times more money to build highway projects in the United States. It is possible to cut through the government regulations, and then our investments will be more meaningful.

When we reward agencies for efficiency rather than if they can “spend” their budgets, we will bring about meaningful change.

Christiansen: Idaho government could benefit from additional state funding ensuring transparency in the way taxpayer money is used. Throughout the entire government, from school boards and county commissions through the governor’s office, fiscal responsibility and transparency is crucial. I believe that if there was more transparency in how our money was being used, less of it would be.

I believe that many of the state processes, things like registrations and licensing, are cumbersome. So cumbersome, in fact, that they become a roadblock for good people to do great things. We should streamline many of these processes and reduce the money being used to make them happen.