Daily Bee announces candidate endorsements

The Daily Bee does not make endorsements lightly.

For the past month we have had the opportunity to meet with each candidate running for office. The meetings have either been in person, in the two forums we sponsored or in the voters' guide we published last week.

Our endorsements aren't necessarily based on who we think will win a certain race, rather we endorse the person we think would do the best job.

We have chosen to endorse in the primary race because there are many races that could well be determined in the primary election.

Our endorsements:

Choose the Republican ballot. As most voters know, we must make a choice of either a Democratic or Republican ballot on Tuesday. As one Democratic faithful told me last week “only a n idiot would vote Democrat in this primary.”

That's good enough for us. The truth is there are two contested races on the D side and eight on the R side. There is more bang for your voting buck with the Republicans this year.

U.S. senator: Jim Risch did a great job as Idaho's governor and is working hard as our Lt. Gov. Larry LaRocco, a Democrat, will make it a good race in the fall - especially if Risch continues to run misleading TV ads and sending out ill-advised mailers.

1st District Rep.: No endorsement here. Bill Sali hasn't done enough to earn an endorsement and his opponent, Walt Minnick, is an unknown so far, We'll know more in the fall.

State Senate, Dist. 1: As near as anyone can tell, Don Heckel is running because he hates incumbent Shawn Keough. Heckel didn't return the Bee's questionnaire. He did poorly at the Bee's forum and his personal attacks on Keough have rattled her. Keough's knowns far outnumber Heckel's unknowns in this race.

State Rep., District 1, Position A: For as nasty and personal as the race between Keough and Heckel has been, the race between incumbent Eric Anderson and Daniel Lawrence has been downright gentlemanly and respectful.

Anderson earns our endorsement in this primary because he continues to champion keeping Lake Pend Oreille and other lakes free from Eurasion milfoil and is known in Boise and the best and the brightest of the North Idaho delegation. Lawrence's time will come but state representative is pretty deep political waters for a first attempt into politics. We hope Lawrence stays active in politics and beefs up his resume.

State Senate, Dist. 2: Our pick is incumbent Joyce Broadsword due to her commitment to children and families. Challenger Bill Largen did not return the Bee's questionnaire and voters deserve more. Challenger James Stivers also lacks the experience that voters here need - and deserve.

County commissioner, First District: Political newcomer John Reuter earns our endorsement over Cornel Rasor. Reuter is more informed on a wide variety of county issues and is more moderate than Rasor on land use and several other issues. We also feel his support of the current EMS system is superior to Rasor's privatization plan that failed once before. While Reuter could use some polish, his backing by the business community and his work on the Panida board and the Downtown Sandpoint Business Association have prepared him for the rigors of office.

County Commissioner, Second District: If you accidentally picked up the Democratic ballot, this is the only local contested race. We endorse former commissioner Brian Orr over watchdog Patty Palmer because of Orr's experience on the board.

County Sheriff: This vote will be subdivided many ways on Tuesday. The first break will come from those who support the incumbent sheriff Elaine Savage and those who don't. The second split will come between the four candidates running against Savage.

We previously endorsed Savage because we thought she did a good job as undersheriff during Phil Jarvis' tumultuous term. Unfortunately, she inherited many problems. While we give her credit for attempting to dig out of a hole, she fell short.

The hit-and-run incident that she was involved in but didn't report, also didn't help her credibility.

We are endorsing two choices for sheriff: Daryl Wheeler or Geoff Rusho. Why two? Because each has unique talents desperately needed in leadership at the BCSO.

Wheeler is a Sandpoint police officer who separated himself as a reformer. He wants to find out why our sheriff's office isn't functioning as it should and said he wants an outside investigation into several allegations that are dogging law enforcement. He also seems to understand that reaching out to the community for input is a good thing.

Rusho has climbed the ladder at the BCSO and served the Priest River area well early in his career and seems to be unafraid of breaking up the “good ol' boy” network that still remains at the BCSO. He has also been honest in dealing with the public and press.

There were also several good candidates we didn't endorse.

Former Sheriff Chip Roos and Rocky Jordan would also make good sheriffs and may very well win the election if the voters go for name recognition and a known commodity (Roos) or the sheer number of signs put up throughout the county (Jordan.)

It's our thought that the BCSO needs new blood to move forward. Roos has already had his chance and we could do worse than electing him.

There are still too many unknowns about Jordan to endorse him.

We have never witnessed the quality of candidates like we have this year for sheriff. The debate Thursday night reinforced that fact and the county is lucky to have so many good choices.

Remember to vote on Tuesday.

If you would like to learn more about the candidates, go to bonnercountydailybee.com and click on the election button at the bottom of the home page. You can also search the candidates by name on the home page to read any story about them or any Web comments about them.