BOISE, Idaho — For KTVB's full election night footage, click here.
After nearly a decade as Idaho Speaker of the House, Rep. Scott Bedke is another step closer to becoming the state's next lieutenant governor.
In Tuesday's primary election, Bedke received 52% of the vote, Rep. Priscilla Giddings received 43%, and Daniel Gasiorowski received 6% in their bids to succeed current Idaho Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who ran for governor this year and lost to Gov. Brad Little.
Bedke advances to the November 8 general election against Democratic candidate Terri Pickens Manweiler and Constitution Party candidate Pro-Life (formerly known as Marvin Richardson), who both ran unopposed in their parties' primaries.
The lieutenant governor's official duties include presiding over the Idaho Senate and serving as acting governor if the elected governor has died, resigned, is disqualified from office, is removed by impeachment, inability to perform the duties, or is "absent from the state," a phrase that has been subject to different legal interpretations in recent years.
Bedke issued a statement Wednesday on his lieutenant governor victory in the primary election:
"Idahoans want consistent, pragmatic, and conservative results to come from the Lieutenant Governor's office. As your next Lieutenant Governor, I will never embarrass Idaho. Instead, I will continue fighting to protect our shared conservative values and serve as an ambassador for our great state.
"But tonight's victory is just the first step. Joe Biden and the D.C. Democrats have their sights on Idaho. No matter who you voted for in this race, Idaho conservatives must join together to ensure Idaho remains the best place to live, to work, and to raise a family. I look forward to earning your vote and support in the General Election."
Priscilla Giddings issued a statement Wednesday afternoon after learning the results of the lt. governors race:
“Good evening friends and supporters. The final vote counts have made their way in and we can now unofficially say that I was defeated in the race to become your next lieutenant governor."
"While it is difficult to face defeat after more than a year of working towards this moment, I can say that I gave it my all, and all of you who supported me did too. I want to thank my amazing campaign team and the hundreds of volunteers across this great state who knocked on thousands of doors, hosted events and watched the polls. None of this would have been possible without your devotion to the principles of freedom. Our campaign had record-setting grassroots support, thousands of grassroots donors, and I was honored to meet so many people who encouraged me to keep up the fight."
"But today doesn’t mark the end of our quest to let freedom fly, I urge you to keep up the fight. You’ve shown that involved, caring conservatives can still make the liberal machine fear you. This election has been a bellwether for the future of our state and we now know that we need to continue to build armies at the local level. Please don’t lose heart, instead, now more than ever, we need patriots to run for and serve on central committees and school boards, and county commissions and health districts."
"Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for believing in principles of liberty and freedom, and thank you for sacrificing so much for the fight for freedom. Now we must stand together for what is right and hold our leaders accountable, to curtail corruption and preserve liberty. I promise to stand by you and work toward making Idaho the most free state in the country. May God bless you all, and God bless the future of Idaho.”
For full election results, click here.
Who is Scott Bedke?
Scott Bedke, a fourth-generation rancher from Oakley, has served 11 terms in the Idaho House of Representatives, and has been Speaker of the House since December 2012. Outside the statehouse, Bedke has served as president of the Idaho Cattle Association, director of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and Oakley City Council member. Bedke and his wife, Sarah, have four children and 14 grandchildren.
Who is Daniel Gasiorowski?
Daniel Gasiorowski is a Vietnam veteran and longtime Boise County resident. He has served as commander of American Legion Post 12, assistant fire chief for Placerville, past chair of Boise County's Planning and Zoning Commission, a member of the Boise County Job Creation and Economic Development Commission, and past treasurer of the Boise Co. Republican Central Committee.
Gasiorowski's work experience includes management for K-Mart and customer service with CenturyLink. He graduated from Boise State University with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He is married with two children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Read Gasiorowski's background and issue statements submitted for the Idaho GOP Voter Guide.
Who is Priscilla Giddings?
Priscilla Giddings is in her third term as state representative for District 7 in the Idaho House. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology from the U.S. Air Force Academy and master's degree in physiology from California University of Pennsylvania. Giddings, a pilot with active-duty and combat experience, is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. She lives in White Bird with her husband Matt and their two daughters.
Check in with KTVB for election coverage all day with live, local reports from the field and the studio, and be sure to join us for post-election news, interviews and analysis starting at 9 p.m., with a digital-only show here on KTVB.COM, the KTVB mobile app, and the KTVB YouTube channel, followed by an hour-long extended edition of the News at Ten on KTVB channel 7.1.
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