GOP candidates hold PR forum

PRIEST RIVER — Republican candidates for county sheriff, county commission, and state legislature met at Priest River Junior High School Wednesday night in a last-ditch effort to scoop up voters still on the fence and persuade their opponents’ supporters to defect.

With only two weeks remaining until the May 17 Republican primary election, Sheriff Daryl Wheeler, challenger Terry Ford, County Commissioner Todd Sudick, challenger Jeff Connolly, county commission candidates Dan McDonald and Lewis Rich, state representatives Sage Dixon and Heather Scott, and state senate candidate Glenn Rohrer all showed up and fielded questions from the public for nearly two hours. Candidates for Republican Party precinct committee member positions also briefly introduced themselves to the audience.

The candidate forum, sponsored by the Bonner County GOP’s central committee, featured a wide range of issues such as constitutional carry, illegal drugs, workplace-related litigation, management styles, and local unemployment.

State Senator Shawn Keough, whom Rohrer is challenging for the state senate GOP nomination, was the only state or county Republican candidate who did not attend.

The Republican Party primary elections will take place May 17.