State Sen. Clint Stennett joined an Idaho Democratic Party press conference Monday at the Statehouse in Boise to announce his intention of running for re-election to the Idaho Legislature.
Stennett, of Ketchum, represents Legislative District 25, which consists of Blaine, Camas, Lincoln and Gooding counties. Stennett, who's served in the Legislature since 1994 and is the Senate Minority Leader, also used the press conference to urge citizens to vote Democrat.
"Idaho Democrats have consistently stood up for the middle class and opposed the Republicans who are too willing to cut important state programs that benefit average middle-class families," Stennett said in a press release. "We also believe the Republican majority in this state has become too beholden to the lobbyists and the special interests.
"As Democrats we are fighting to return government to the people."
Stennett cited Sempra Energy's proposed coal-fired power plant in Jerome County and the Bush administrations proposal to sell public lands in the West as examples of a disconnect between the Republican Party and Idaho's citizens. He announced that a memorial has been printed to "put Idaho on the record opposing the wholesale sell-off of our public lands."
Stennett added that "As a caucus we will remain vigilant about protecting our public lands."
In regard to Sempra's proposal, Stennett said "Idaho is in the bulls-eye for out of state coal-fired power plant developers who want to utilize our clean air, pure water and cheap land to turn us into a third-world-type energy colony to provide electricity for the West Coast."
He added that Democrats have spearheaded the fight against such proposals and will continue to do so in the future.
"(W)e are confident any movement towards limiting these out-of-state carpetbaggers will be from our single-minded efforts to represent Idaho's families rather than the special interest that would profit from our clean air and water resources."
Sen. Clint Stennett
