East Idaho Elects: Democratic and Republican District 35 candidates want to fix healthcare gap
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Legislative District 35, which includes Fremont, Clark, Jefferson and Butte counties, has two candidates running for Seat B in the Idaho Legislature this November.
They agree on at least one thing: closing the Medicaid gap.
Jerry Browne
Jerry Browne, the Democratic candidate, has farmed in Moore for more than 25 years and hopes to bring a “different attitude” to the Legislature.
If he wins the election, Browne wants to support Proposition 2 and expand Medicaid. Before Prop. 2 was on the ballot, he went around and asked people to sign petitions for a Medicaid expansion, and now he doesn’t want the measure to be rejected by its opposers.
Browne also told EastIdahoNews.com he wants to continue increasing funding for education in Idaho and decrease Idaho’s high incarceration rates.
“Idaho has one of the lowest crime rates in the country, but also one of the highest incarceration rates,” he said.
He said some of the laws Idaho has on minimum sentencing are too much.
Browne has run for office before in different districts, but he’s never held political office. The 71-year-old has worked as a truck driver and for the Idaho Department of Correction as a guard.
Browne was the only Democratic candidate, so he won 100 percent of the primary vote in May.
Rod Furniss
Rod Furniss, a Rigby resident, is the Republican candidate. His three main goals are health care, education and enterprise.
Furniss worked in health insurance for more than 30 years and says he can help with the financial and insurance problems healthcare laws often raise. He does not support Proposition 2, but he wants to help Idaho deal with the Medicaid gap.
To improve Idaho’s education, Furniss told EastIdahoNews.com that he wants to help Idaho’s teachers.
“The Legislature has done a pretty good job of increasing salaries, and they can do better,” Furniss said. He said the state is having trouble staffing, and he wants to “promote good, quality teachers.”
He wants to develop businesses, both large and small, in Jefferson County, Arco and Island Park while maintaining the forests of Idaho. He previously worked as the president of the Jefferson Education Foundation.
In May’s primary election, Furniss won 52 percent of the Republican vote against incumbent Karey Hanks.
Although there are similar between the two candidates, they do have their differences. For instance, Furniss says he has “strong support for our Second Amendment rights,” while Browne says Idaho’s open-carry laws are a mistake.
Brown does not have a website, but more information is available on Fremont County Democratic Party Facebook page.
You can learn more about Furniss here.