VanderSloot staying out of governor’s race

Idaho billionaire Frank VanderSloot says he won’t endorse anyone in the 2018 Republican gubernatorial race.

VanderSloot, founder and chief executive of the health care products company Melaleuca, said Thursday he’s staying out of the primary despite being asked by all three major candidates for his support.

Currently, U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador, Lt. Gov. Brad Little and Boise businessman Tommy Ahlquist are the top contenders in the GOP primary for governor. The open seat is expected to be one of the top competitive political races in 2018 after Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter has said he won’t run for a fourth term.

VanderSloot is a prominent GOP donor and one of Idaho’s biggest businessmen.

In 2012, VanderSloot and his company gave $1.1 million to Restore Our Future, a super political action committee that helped GOP nominee Mitt Romney.