Bryan Hyde: District 26 deserves a senator who can get things done

Republicans hold an overwhelming majority in the Idaho Senate. Within their caucus, senators build support for legislation, negotiate differences, and establish the priorities that shape what the Legislature accomplishes.

By the time a bill reaches a committee or floor vote, much of that work has already happened. Our district deserves a senator who helps shape those solutions rather than simply voting on them.

As a Republican, I will have a seat at that table. My opponent will not. I will use that opportunity to build coalitions, advance practical solutions and deliver meaningful results for families, seniors and business owners throughout our district.

I’ll start with grocery tax repeal, which is long overdue. Grocery prices have climbed sharply, making it more expensive to feed a family. Idaho should stop adding to that burden by taxing the food we need.

I will also work with my colleagues on an ambitious plan to eliminate property taxes. I’ve heard from seniors struggling to afford taxes on homes they already own. Young families face pressures that put homeownership out of reach.

This won’t be easy, but worthwhile changes rarely are. My plan uses state revenue growth to gradually replace property taxes while maintaining essential services, including schools, police and fire protection. This will make life more affordable now while ensuring future generations have the same quality of life and opportunities.

Water deserves the same attention. Decisions affecting irrigation and agriculture must reflect those whose livelihoods depend on them. I will bring our counties’ concerns into the Senate majority’s deliberations early, while proposals can be improved and disagreements resolved.

Farmers and ranchers need certainty, and our communities need solutions that recognize how dependable water supports a healthy local economy. I will make those needs a priority in Boise.

My vision for Idaho also rests on ideas that can unite people across political lines.

Our public lands are part of the heritage we must safeguard. Some of my fondest memories come from growing up fishing at Idaho’s pristine lakes and then fishing those same lakes with my children. I will work to ensure our children and grandchildren can make those same memories with their families.

Protecting privacy should unite us, too. Flock and Axon cameras have opened Idahoans’ eyes to the expanding surveillance network around us. Idahoans across the political spectrum question why the government should track law-abiding citizens. Abuse of these systems by a law enforcement official in Jerome County demonstrates that these concerns are real. I am the only candidate in this race who has signed the DeFlock Idaho Privacy Pledge. I will protect your privacy and work to ban these invasive cameras.

For four years, our district has been represented by a senator in the minority caucus who has not introduced a single bill of his own, leaving him to vote on legislation shaped by others rather than advance our communities’ agenda.

Our district deserves more than a vote at the end of the legislative process. We deserve a voice from the beginning, when priorities are established, compromises negotiated and solutions developed. That’s the difference I intend to make in Boise.

Working with you, Lyle Johnstone and Mike Pohanka, I want to help shape policies that serve all of District 26. I humbly ask for your vote on November 3.