Votes are Republican, conservative, and consistent with GOP platform

As one of your elected representatives for District 1, it is important that you, the residents of Bonner and Boundary counties, know where I stand on the real issues that impact your life. You might have read Senator Herndon’s recent broadly distributed press release, wherein he publicly pointed out some of the differences between me and the Bonner County Republican Central Committee, the Idaho Freedom Foundation and the Idaho GOP platform.

I am thankful for Mr. Herndon’s efforts to highlight the differences. When I campaigned, I vowed to be a responsible representative for our communities. Throughout the session I found myself reading and re-reading bills, asking questions, reading emails from constituents, and trying to forecast the ramifications of each bill before I cast my vote. After all, good government isn’t flashy or exciting, it’s dull and boring.

I wanted every one of my votes to pass the litmus test: was it good for my district, would the benefits exceed the costs, was it constitutional, had I thought through the consequences, and was it the best we could do? I was never provided with, nor did I seek out, an IFF voting guide. I went to Boise to serve this district, not to get a good score (grade) from a lobbying organization. The mention of another legislator's A-plus grade has been compared to my "F" grade which brings me to question where and from whom the grading system was developed and how it aligns with the Republican platform. Perhaps my "F" is a badge of honor signifying I vote for the entire district and the Republican platform instead of an ancillary group that is dubiously involved in legislators’ voting performance (ie: "grade").

Like all of us, I’ve been surrounded by good and bad leaders my entire life. As a fire chief, I studied leadership because it was so important to my work. I have never seen leadership like I see now. Rather than approach me personally (as the BCRCC chairman and a state senator) with any insight or privately held grievances, (to learn more about how I decided to vote), Mr. Herndon chose to determine his actions without having the courtesy to ask. Leadership is listening, respect, learning, encouragement, training, influencing, and informing. Ambushing with a public rebuke is not leadership.

Similar GOP actions are occurring across the state. The charges are all similar, Representative X did not toe the line of the GOP platform. The question that begs to be answered is who is the arbiter of the GOP platform? Apparently, Mr. Herndon, the IFF, the BCRCC and the state GOP believe theirs is the only interpretation. There appears to be no room in the tent for a different opinion or thought (or perhaps another idea).

While campaigning I reviewed the GOP platform. I generally agreed with it and confirmed it with a few noted exceptions. It is important to note, there are inconsistencies. I think the most important part is the preamble. It outlines conservative Republican values like limited- responsive government, free enterprise, fiscal responsibility, individual responsibility and initiative, local control, and the protection of individual rights. Each time I think of the true Republican platform and the values it instills in our democracy I feel hope. Hope that conservative values are stewarded in ways that will protect, and bring positive changes, to help make District 1, and the state of Idaho, the best place to live.

I consider all my votes to be Republican, conservative, and consistent with the GOP platform.

The future of our beautiful area and state depends on our individual principles and values, the strengths of our community and our leadership. I am humbled to be elected by you, our community, and take to heart your trust in me to do my job as your state representative with integrity and humility. I worked hard to reach out to different corners of our district to make sure I wasn't in the Boise vacuum, beholden only to lobbyists and party leaders.

If my votes have earned me a vote of no confidence by the BCRCC Republicans, then so be it. There are over 50,000 residents in this district who I want to make sure feel represented. I was elected to do my best to represent our district and get things done. That is what I intend to keep doing.

I have written a separate column, which will be published Tuesday, to briefly explain some of my votes.

Mark Sauter represents Bonner and Boundary counties in the Idaho Legislature in District 1A. He can be reached at msauter@house.idaho.gov.