Democrat Nate Roberts challenged by Republican Tanya Burgoyne for Bannock County area legislator in District 29B

POCATELLO — A Republican challenger is aiming to replace an incumbent Democratic state representative who holds legislative District 29 Seat B.

The seat has a two-year term. District 29 encompasses the majority of Pocatello, Chubbuck and a portion of Bannock County.

Nate Roberts currently holds Seat B. Details about his campaign are available here.

Tanya Burgoyne is running to replace him. Click here for details about Burgoyne’s campaign.

EastIdahoNews.com sent the same eight questions to each 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.

Roberts: I’m Nate Roberts, a union electrician for over 30 years and a lifelong advocate for working families. I’m serving my second term as State Representative for Idaho’s 29th District. I’m committed to fair labor practices, quality education, local governance, and accessible healthcare. I live in Pocatello with my wife, and we share a deep commitment to making our community stronger.

Burgoyne: As a mother of nine children, I have primarily put my focus on home and raising the next generation. Now that my children are older, and having a desire to serve others, I have turned my focus to a broader spectrum of more involvement in local and state government. I am the currently the GOP Precinct Committee Chair for my precinct and the Bannock County State Committeewoman. I have an enthusiasm and willingness to serve my state and the people in my community.

I was raised in Utah and attended college in Idaho. I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree from Ricks College. My husband is from the Bear Lake valley, and we moved to Idaho shortly after we were married. We have lived in Idaho for 35 years now. I love Idaho!

I have served in many capacities in my church and neighborhood. I have been a small business owner, started a small private school, and been involved in many charitable activities. I have also been part of many groups that have a desire to strengthen home and family.

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

Burgoyne: I felt a need to run for office because I saw that the traditional values that most in my district hold, weren’t being represented. I wanted to give people a choice to support values that were part of the American founding. These values brought peace and prosperity to America.

The motto of the Republican party could be said to be Faith, Family and Freedom. These are the values I represent. The GOP website states: “Republicans believe in liberty, economic prosperity, preserving American values and traditions, and restoring the American dream for every citizen of this great nation. As a party, we support policies that seek to achieve those goals.” This is what I believe and what I hope to accomplish when elected.

Roberts: I seek to improve the lives of working families by advocating for fair wages, funding for public education, and healthcare access. I support measures that protect workers’ rights, promote economic growth, and safeguard our environment.

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

Roberts: Our district faces challenges in healthcare access, underfunded education, and infrastructure needs. I advocate for fully funding Medicaid, increasing school resources, and supporting infrastructure improvements to help our community thrive.

Burgoyne: Economic prosperity is getting harder to achieve. Inflation is making every dollar count for less, and taxes always seem to go up. We need policies that promote free markets, that limit government and reduce government spending. We need economic growth with job opportunities in the private sector which will provide competitive wages to help the average family. It is difficult for families to afford housing and put food on the table in this economic climate. We need to create an environment where businesses of any size can thrive and help fuel the local economy. We can turn this around through free markets and allowing private businesses to bring growth and development to Pocatello.

I look forward to working with local elected officials to promote policies at the state level that will encourage local economic growth for Pocatello and all of Idaho.

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

Burgoyne: Mistakes have been made, but I would refrain from criticizing the legislature because it is very possible that I don’t have all the information they had when they voted. I plan to use the guidelines of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and upholding Idaho’s constitution.

Roberts: Efforts to repeal Medicaid expansion and proposals to weaken child labor laws are serious missteps. I will continue to defend healthcare access and oppose legislation that endangers workers’ rights and children’s safety.

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

Roberts: Education and healthcare need more funding. Cuts can be made to unnecessary corporate tax breaks that benefit the wealthy at the expense of essential services.

Burgoyne: Every state department feels a need for more funding, but that is how government grows. Every department also costs the taxpayer money. The state of Idaho has a constitutional mandate to balance the budget, unlike the Federal Government. This is a great blessing to the people of Idaho. A state budget is similar to a household budget in that it needs to be watched closely and managed carefully in order to remain solvent and debt free. With care and watchfulness much governmental waste can be trimmed. Savings should be passed on to the taxpayer.

Line item budgeting, as was proposed last year, would greatly benefit Idaho taxpayers by providing more control over how public funds are utilized. This is a great service to every Idaho taxpayer in that it allows the state legislature to review and approve funding for specific items, and keeping the taxpayer more informed on how their money is being spent. Idaho’s budget of billions of dollars leaves plenty of room for budget cuts.

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

Burgoyne: I will be voting no on Proposition 1 and I hope every Idahoan will vote NO on Prop 1. The primary election is about sending a candidate from each party to the general election. Proposition 1 would eliminate primary elections. The purpose of a primary election is to allow the voters of each party to vote for the person they feel best represents them. These candidates are then on the general ballot. This is a much needed narrowing process by which we get the best candidates from each party on the general election ballot.

Roberts: I support open primaries and ranked-choice voting, as they empower voters and promote fairer elections.

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?

Roberts: State resources should be used for Idaho’s needs. While illegal immigration is a concern, we must prioritize local issues over federal responsibilities.

Burgoyne: I am thankful that Governor Little has made border security a priority. Illegal immigration is a problem that impacts all Americans and is a key factor in driving the cost of goods and services up in my district, leading to inflationary challenges that all of us are facing.

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?

Burgoyne: Water is a very complex issue. As such, it requires all people involved to work together to solve these problems. Many have said that the government should stay out of the water issues, but water is a natural resource that needs to be protected by the state. I will work to protect all of Idaho’s natural resources.

Roberts: We need sustainable solutions that balance agricultural needs with water conservation. My belief is that those best suited to correctly deal with this issue are the water users themselves. I am pleased to hear that they are finalizing an agreement.

Beyond that I believe that the legislature should work on a fully functional data collection system on our waterways. To be able to understand the issue we should first be able to accurately measure levels and flow rates at each end of our water systems. Only then can we truly begin to properly manage our water in Idaho.I support efforts to enhance aquifer recharge projects, accurate data collection and measurement of our water resources.