BOISE, Idaho — Editor's Note: The video above originally aired on Oct. 5.
The Idaho governor has issued an executive order repealing his political rival’s executive order from the previous day involving COVID-19 vaccine passports and mandatory testing.
Republican Gov. Brad Little issued the repeal Wednesday while still in Texas, a move that challenges the state’s longstanding practice of making the lieutenant governor acting governor when the governor is out of state.
On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. McGeachin tweeted "I fixed Gov. Little's Executive Order on "vaccine passports." She added that she "will continue to fight for your individual liberty."
The commanding general of the Idaho National Guard also told McGeachin on Tuesday that she can't activate troops to send to the U.S.-Mexico border. Little and Major General Michael J. Garshak made the decisions as McGeachin attempted to exercise her authority as acting governor with Little out of the state.
"Before I even left the state, the Lt. Governor unabashedly requested information from the Adjutant General to deploy our National Guard to the border, the same place I am visiting today to work with my fellow Republican governors on solutions to the crisis," Gov. Little said on social media.
In response, Republican Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who is running for governor, tweeted this statement on Wednesday: "Let's clear up some misconceptions. I did not deploy or call for the deployment of the National Guard. I inquired as to the process for deployment, should such a step be necessary. The Acting Governor should know this, but Brad continues to shut me out of the process."
Idaho Republican Congressman Mike Simpson also weighed in on Wednesday, saying, "It is unfortunate that while our Governor is working to find real solutions to the crisis at our border, he must also deal with these distractions from his Lt. Governor."
Little's order appears to lay the legal groundwork to determine who is in charge when the governor leaves the state.
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