Idaho candidates juggled campaign with session, missed votes

Idaho candidates seeking higher office didn’t hit pause on their goal of wooing voters while the Legislature was in session for the past three months.

Republican Lt. Gov. Brad Little missed 34 Senate floor sessions this year- the most out of his three terms in the post. Little is running in Idaho’s competitive gubernatorial primary.

The lieutenant governor in Idaho presides over the Senate and only votes to break a tie, which rarely occurs in the Republican-dominant chamber.

Meanwhile, GOP Rep. Luke Malek missed 10 days in the House while campaigning for the open 1st Congressional District seat but he had a substitute appointed to cast votes in his place.

Former Democratic Rep. Paulette Jordan was the only candidate seeking higher office to step down from her legislative post mid-session to devote more time to her gubernatorial campaign.