LeFavour Kicks Off Congressional Campaign In SEID

State Sen. Nicole LeFavour kicked off her campaign for Congress this weekend, and on Sunday night, the Democrat visited the Gate City.

LeFavour is looking to upset seven-term Rep. Mike Simpson in the second congressional district.

About 20 dedicated Democrats showed up to Rowan’s Caf in Station Square to show LeFavour they are serious about her shot at the seat.

“People have been so enthusiastic around the state, and I have to say that really surprised me, the level of, ‘Sign me up, I want to help,'” LeFavour said.

With no shortage of those people at her Pocatello event, LeFavour said she wants people to know that she’s been fighting for them in the state, not distracted by influence of the Washington, D.C. beltway.

“I have been here and I have been working in the trenches, and I think it’s a huge advantage,” she said.

LeFavour said her most urgent issues are jobs and the economy. She said hasty budget cuts have cost us a lot of jobs, and she wants to balance employment and smart budgeting. She wants to help end discrimination against gays and lesbians, and after the Add the Words initiative failed in Idaho, LeFavour said it could become a national issue. She wants to help keep federal funds for education, because Idaho classrooms have endured too many cuts, she said.

Kamren Koompin, who is running for District 28 House Seat B, was there to show his support.

“It’s just good to see someone that’s coming out to run against someone like Mike Simpson, who’s really done a good job of representing Idaho,” Koompin said.

Koompin said LeFavour stands a chance against Simpson, especially because of redistricting. LeFavour said the redistricting commission may have unintentionally drawn lines in her favor.

“The redistricting commission, I think that they were concerned about protecting the first congressional district, so they kind of drew lines around all the democratic boundaries of neighborhoods in Boise, and shoved them into the second district, which was an amazing gift,” said LeFavour.

From the Gate City, LeFavour will travel to St. Anthony for another kick-off event before heading back to Boise.

LeFavour’s opponent in the primary election is Jack Wayne Chappell. He ran for governor in 1998 and finished third in the four-way race.