Incumbent District 35 Rep. Joshua Wheeler faces Brett Skidmore in Republican primary

IDAHO FALLS – Incumbent Rep. Joshua Wheeler has an opponent in the upcoming Republican primary for District 35 seat B.

Brett Skidmore is also vying for the 2-year term position.

To learn more about Wheeler, click here.

To learn more about Skidmore, click here.

EastIdahoNews.com sent the same eight questions to each county candidate. Their responses, listed below, were required to be 250 words or less. EastIdahoNews.com is publishing the answers in their entirety, and without any grammatical or style editing.

The primary is May 21.

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

Wheeler: I was born and raised in Ammon, Idaho where I graduated from Hillcrest High School. After a two year mission to Brazil, I married
my highschool sweetheart Laramie Linning.
Laramie and I left our hometowns to study first in Provo, where I studied and completed a degree in construction management.
After graduation, we relocated to Phoenix, where my wife went to medical school and I went to work. Happily, we were able to return to southeast Idaho, where I earned an MBA from Idaho State University.
Together we have raised 6 incredible children. Laramie has her own medical clinic in Ammon and I’m one of the owners of our
family business Wheeler Electric.
In 2018, our 10-year-old son, Han, suffered a debilitating brain injury from an undiagnosed tumor. After 6 months, we lost him.
Through that entire trial, the people of this community rallied around us and lifted us in a way that nothing else could have.
After Han was gone, I felt a deep drive to give back to the community. I ran for Ammon City council in 2019. I treasured my
experience with the city council. In 2021 as a family we decided I needed to run for State Representative. I have served two years now in that role, and learned much. It has reinforced my belief that our communities are stronger, more efficient and simply
better when local governments make decisions for the very communities in which they live. Idaho values work best locally

Skidmore: I was born and raised and have lived most of my life in District 35. My parents founded Skidmore Construction in 1958 and my brother and our sons now own and operate the business. I have three children and 9 grandchildren and my wife Scarlet has three children. I have been heavily involved in the Idaho Home Builders Association and the Eastern Idaho Home Builders Association and currently serve on the Idaho Contractors Registration Board after having been appointed by Gov. Little.

Why are you seeking political office? Briefly explain your political platform.

Wheeler: During my first legislative term, we made historic tax cuts, including property tax reform. Alongside Governor Little we cut red tape; promoting and protecting
Idaho’s small businesses with strategic deregulation. As a small business owner I’ve seen firsthand the damage that the heavy hand of the government can cause.
My time on the Ammon City Council taught me the importance of local control. It’s sad to see how quickly those in the legislature would usurp power that rightly
belongs to the locally elected. I believe that the government closest to the people governs best.
I opposed efforts to destroy our public education system and support opportunities to better compensate and retain our great educators. And when Idaho Launch
came forward as a way to help our kids stay here after graduation and find high paying jobs in demand, I supported it.
Representing District 35 has been a privilege and there is still so much work to do. There are opportunities to cut wasteful spending and lower taxes. We can
continue to empower parents and ensure they have a say in their children’s education, and I will continue to promote pro-family policies in our state’s capitol.
I am running for re-election and asking the voters to let me finish the job we’ve started.My focus is on the problems to be solved, not the partisan fits to
be thrown. If re-elected I will continue to work with leaders from across the state to ensure Idaho is in the best place to flourish.

Skidmore: Our children are under attack from radicals even before they are born and well after. I am Pro-Life and will never allow or give cover to those who surgically mutilate or kill children.
High taxes and out of control spending have hurt our economy. I will be a watchdog against government waste.
True Conservatives are hard to find in the Idaho House of Representatives. I want to restore our Idaho Conservative values.

​What are the greatest challenges facing people and communities in your district? What is your plan to meet those challenges?

Wheeler: As I have traveled throughout District 35 and met with constituents it has been clear that the higher cost of living as a result of rampant inflation is stretching
the budgets of Idaoans and making it harder to get by. Idaho must respond to the tax and spend policies of Washington D.C. by cutting unnecessary spending and lowering taxes. We cannot directly control the poor fiscal policies that come out of the nation’s
Capitol but we can make sure Idaho doesn’t follow suit.
Our communities are also experiencing significant challenges with aging and underfunded infrastructure that is only made worse with Idaho’s unprecedented
growth. I will continue to advocate for strategic deregulation for our small businesses, as well as pushing for more tools that our local communities can use to best determine how to meet their infrastructure and community needs.

Skidmore: It is of utmost importance that elected officials demonstrate unyielding
integrity and a steadfast commitment to their principles. In the face of ever changing circumstances, they must remain resolute and unwavering in their
beliefs. Only then can they be trusted to lead with conviction and honor.
As a public servant, it is imperative to remember that our ultimate responsibility is to the people who have entrusted us with their vote. We must never forget that our duty is to represent their interests over any other agenda. Government Representatives must stay committed to serving our constituents with integrity and ensure that their voices are heard loud and clear.

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

Wheeler: District 35 is one of the largest legislative districts in Idaho, and includes portions of 5 counties. Opinions and beliefs differ from Teton to Bear Lake.
My job is to represent all of them whether they voted for me or not.
I have and will continue to make a real effort to listen to all my constituents, especially those with whom I disagree. I have found that I can learn much by
engaging with those that think differently than myself. With that being said, I do have a clear mandate. I was elected by thousands of people in this district to keep taxes low, support public education, and empower local communities to make the decisions
that best serve the people of their area. Those are things that I will not compromise on.
To ensure I can best do my job as a representative, I am in constant communication with my constituents. I welcome text messages and emails from my constituents
and regularly meet with the local chambers of commerce, Farm Bureau, and teacher organizations to ensure I have accurate information about their members’ needs. It is important to me to be in the community. I make it a priority to attend community events
and with local organizations these are wonderful opportunities to listen to and learn from my constituents.

Skidmore: Every Representative has an assigned email address and phone number. Voting Idahoans may call or email at any time. I will also establish a weekly Newsletter that voters may sign up to receive updating them on the important issues before State Leaders.

What parts of the state budget could use more funding? Where are places in the budget that cuts could be made?

Wheeler: The increased population growth in our community has created a vital need to address our infrastructure. No matter your political affiliation, everyone wants
to know that they are driving on safe roads and bridges and that their children are attending safe and updated schools. The fiscally responsible action is to invest in our roads, bridges, and school facilities. If we neglect this investment it will only cost
the taxpayer more later on.
I have worked with my legislative colleagues to identify opportunities for budgetary cuts in our health and welfare spending in the pharmaceutical space.
If we can improve personal responsibility requirements then we would be able to save taxpayer dollars without disruption of necessary services.

Skidmore: There are many areas of the budget that could use cutting. Idaho is becoming much more socialist with its public programs that do not benefit all citizens. The Launch program for high school seniors to apply for grants to receive schooling for “in demand careers”. Who is choosing what an in demand career is? Not elected officials! Leave this in the hands of the private sector to train their own employees! Bill H213 was just passed which creates a grant program for nurses who are willing to commit to 1-3 years in a rural area. Each rural area should seek funding to offer these grants themselves. There are many other examples of government spending and overreach.

Are you currently working on any legislation or have ideas for bills that you feel are vital to the future of Idaho? Please provide details.

Wheeler: When it comes to education policy, I am working on legislation that would move our public schooling towards an outcome based funding model. After doing my
homework I have come to see that this type of model would best service the student, the educator, and the taxpayer.
Other legislation I am working on includes; modernizing the prior authorization system, and reducing regulatory burden on our local physicians and healthcare
workforce, as well as incentivizing more doctors to train and work in Idaho.
There is a bill in the works that will improve citizen access to multiple classes of pharmaceuticals and thus lower drug costs for Idahoans.

I was proud to support Idaho Launch. I will continue looking for ways that our high school students can find and participate in apprenticeships that move
them to rewarding and in-demand careers.
Lastly, youth vaping is on the rise. Leaders need to address this dangerous and addictive behavior by giving parents and educators better tools to curb its
use.

Skidmore: I have no agenda other than to repeal bills that contribute to the ballooning budget in Idaho.

Have you seen any mistakes made by the Idaho Legislature in recent years? How would you work to correct these errors?

Wheeler: There are two major mistakes that the legislature continues to make in recent years. First, legislation is sometimes passed without enough due diligence and
neglects necessary language. As a result it ends up getting contested in court and there are lengthy and costly legal entanglements that the taxpayer is on the hook to cover. To remedy this the legislature needs to seek a greater number of legal opinions and
consider the legal costs associated with the policy.
The second mistake is even more concerning. Too often legislators preach against federal overreach and yet at a state level place unfunded mandates on our
local cities and counties. Even good decisions made at the state level can be problematic when forced onto local governments. I will continue to use my platform to advocate for policies that support local government and oppose efforts that hinder local empowerment.

Skidmore: The budget for the State of Idaho has swollen in recent years. Pre-covid, the state budget was 7.9 million. It is now approaching 14 Billion with a 14% increase over the past two years!

What is the most important issue facing Idahoans? What is a legislator’s role in meeting or addressing that issue?

Wheeler: Idahoans face a number of important issues, many are related to the rapid growth of our communities. I believe that one of the most important issues relates
to maintaining safe communities that support families.
As a legislator, one of my primary roles is to ensure that there is appropriate funding for law enforcement and infrastructure. We must do this all while maintaining
a policy environment that respects and protects our citizens’ God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Skidmore: “Idaho deserves true conservative leaders who value self-reliance and fiscal responsibility. Unfortunately, our current elected officials are mostly ‘RINOs,’ who claim to be Republicans in name only. It’s no secret that California’s socialist state is a warning sign for the rest of the country. That’s why it’s crucial to have leaders who prioritize controlling government programs and spending, so that we don’t find ourselves in the same boat. We need to ensure that Idaho’s citizens remain independent and self-sufficient, rather than relying on the state to provide for them. Let’s elect true conservatives who will help Idaho reach its full potential!”