Republican Josh Wheeler hopes to keep District 35B seat from Democrat Maggie Shaw

IDAHO FALLS — Rep. Joshua Wheeler (R-Ammon) hopes to defend his District 35B seat from his opponent, Maggie Shaw, a Democrat, in this year’s general election.

The seat has a two-year term. District 35 encompasses a portion of Bonneville County, a portion of Bannock County, Teton County, Caribou County and Bear Lake County.

Wheeler was first elected in 2022. Details about his campaign are available here.

Click here for details about Shaw’s campaign.

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 general election is Nov. 5.

Candidate Questions & Responses

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.

Shaw: An early retirement allowed my husband Steve and I to make Teton Valley our home. We loved the skiing, open space, clean air and people.After almost 40 years we left Salt Lake City. We settled in Driggs where I no longer had a 40 mile commute to visit my horse and I could ski out my back door.

I retired from The University of Utah Healthcare system. I had managed a neuroscience laboratory at the Moran Eye Center. Steve retired as an Emergency Room RN. I received a BA from Wilkes University (Pennsylvania) majoring in History. I received a Masters in Education (Special Education) from the University of Utah.

Prior to working in a laboratory I had been a special educator. I have been a member and chaired community organizations in Salt Lake City which dealt with growth, zoning, and planning issues. In Teton Valley I was one of the founding board members of Teton Valley Backcountry Horsemen. This spring I stepped down as the volunteer coordinator.

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.

Shaw: We have a two party system. There should be choices. Many times Republicans run unopposed. This is unhealthy for democracy. How can you be fair to your citizenry if there are no choices?

I am running because there are people who are not being heard. The passage of the abortion bill got me into the race. It has put Idaho women at risk. I believe state funding should stay in the public school system. I do not support the proposed voucher system. I hope to work on solutions for public schools, women’s healthcare, childcare and making groceries and housing more affordable.

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 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.

Shaw: Healthcare is a big issue. Idaho lost a quarter of their OB/GYN’s after the passage of the abortion bill. Idaho has the worst doctor to patient ratio. There are not enough doctors. When surveyed primary care physicians are considering an exodus from the state. Doctors do not want to be in a state where they can be fined, lose their license or be jailed for practicing standard of care.

I believe childcare is another issue. The last session of the legislature did not do enough to help working families with childcare. They actually reduced funding for the future.

Affordable housing is another problem. I believe local communities should have control concerning nightly rentals. Currently there is a law that forbids that.

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 passed without enough due diligence that 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 control.

Shaw: The abortion bill was a huge mistake. We lost physicians and now place mothers at risk. There has to be a health exception for the mother. Not one person voting for that bill was a physician. They either did not consider the consequences for women or they did not care. Either way the passage will continue to have terrible impacts on women. If you are pregnant in Idaho doctors are recommending you carry flight evacuation insurance. I would work to amend the bill.

Another mistake was voting not to take federal money for free lunch for kids for the summer. Idahoans had already paid for that via federal tax. So it went to another state. It was a political vote made on the backs of hungry kids. That is poor leadership. There have been cuts to the state support for childcare. This greatly impacts poor working families and childcare facilities. The library bill that has caused some libraries to become adults only because they could not comply with the new legislation. The library bill needs amending and Idaho should welcome federal dollars back to our state that we have already paid.

What parts of the state budget could use more funding? Are there places in the budget where 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. 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.

Shaw: I would support funding of physicians to rural areas. I thought the removing from the budget of the summer free lunch program was ill advised. That funding would have required $535,000 shared administrative fees but Idaho kids would have received $16 million in food benefit. That is 29 times the return. That is a good investment. We need to help working families with childcare. I would also support more childcare investment.

The Attorney General engages in many poorly conceived lawsuits. I think the AG should give an opinion on bills moving forward . Do they pass constitutional muster.? I think it is unwise to use taxpayer money to defend “message bills”for political gain. I do not think this is a good use of funding. I would support a cut there.

What is your position on Idaho’s Proposition 1 ballot initiative that would end closed-party primary elections and create ranked-choice voting?

Wheeler: It is rare that our citizens make use of the constitutional process that grants them the ability to bring a ballot initiative forward. The initiative process is protected by the Idaho Constitution. I believe that elected officials have a duty to represent their district. I respect voters, and as such will support the results of my district on Nov 5th.

Shaw: As a private citizen I support it. I believe in more engagement and participation. The taxpayers of Idaho pay for the Republican primary. They should be allowed to participate. If a party fears more engagement and participation in the democratic process I have to wonder why. If they have sound policies that benefit voters they should welcome more participation. Almost a third of Idaho voters are unaffiliated, they should not be excluded.

What is your position on Gov. Brad Little using Idaho State Police resources to bolster security at the United States southern border? How does illegal immigration impact the constituents in your district?

Wheeler: I was glad to vote in favor of the legislation that supported Gov. Brad Little’s deployment of our Idaho State Police troopers to the United States southern borders. This was an excellent opportunity for these hard working men & women to continue to improve their training and be better prepared defend and strengthen our families. One of the most significant impacts on constituents in my district has been the alarming increase in illegal fentanyl trafficking in recent years, as well as added risks of the scourge of human trafficking. It is critical that our law enforcement personnel receive the funding and training to be most effective in combating these effects.

Shaw: The undocumented in Idaho numbers have remained steady for more than a decade according to a recent study from Boise State. There are certain industries that rely on that workforce. Dairy Farmers, construction agriculture , and hospitality jobs are reliant on these workers. The study found that 86% of them were employed. We have very low unemployment in Idaho. Without these workers Idaho businesses would have issue replacing them. During the Trump administration there were many deportations that hurt the construction industry in Teton County.

I considered Governor Little’s sending of the police to the border as political theater. At the same time our police were heading south the bipartisan border bill was being introduced. Instead of sending our police resources to the border I would have preferred he had encouraged our Idaho Senators to vote for the bill which would have provided a much needed solution to immigration issues.

A battle over the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer recharge led to a temporary water curtailment for thousands of acres of farmland in 2024. How should the legislature respond to this issue?

Wheeler: This is an issue of critical importance to families in eastern Idaho. I joined with thousands of my fellow citizens in pushing back against these unnecessary curtailments. This battle is another prime example that the lightest hand of government possible should be employed in our lives. I am grateful for the hundreds of hours, hard work, and dedication that has been shown by our local ground and surface water users, as they’ve crafted an agreement to help support local farmers, protect Idaho’s water sovereignty, and maintain this vital resource for future generations. If the legislature is called upon to codify some of the elements of that agreement, I will support that response.

Shaw: The best solution is one reached by the users, all users. That solution will be the most adhered to and enforceable. They have had to extend the deadline as the users have not yet reached agreement. I am hoping the users will get to a consensus. If they do not only then should the legislature step in. The aquifer has been in steady decline for 60 years. It needs serious consistent recharging. Water is life. The legislature can provide financial incentives for agriculture to practice conservation and regenerative farming. I would support these incentives.