Voter Guide: Mike Simpson (R)

• Party:
  • Republican Party
• Career
  • 1999-Present: U.S. Representative from Idaho's 2nd Congressional District
  • 1984-1998: Idaho House of Representatives, District 31B
    • 1992-1998: 38th Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives
  • 1980-1984: Blackfoot, ID, City Council
• Personal Information:
  • Born: September 8, 1950
  • Age: 80
• Website: simpsonforcongress.com
• Facebook: Mike Simpson
• Twitter: @MikeSimpson4ID
• Background:
  • Simpson is serving his eleventh term in the House of Representatives. He also serves on the House Appropriations Committee and is the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. He also serves on the Interior and Environment Subcommittee. 

Why are you running for Idaho's Second Congressional District?

Well, because there's things I still want to do, whether it's the reforming immigration for, for this country, for agriculture, whether it's addressing some of the other issues that are very important to Idaho, to public lands issues, how we enact the great American outdoors act, what projects are funded and that type of stuff. And the work I do for the Idaho national laboratory and making sure that they have the resources necessary to do the great work that they do out the site.

What issues would you focus on if you’re re-elected?

Well, as I said, I still want to get this Ag workforce modernization act passed that we've passed in the house, but we still have to get it through the Senate. So we'll have to reintroduce it next year and hopefully we'll be able to get that done. Addressing immigration is one of the big looming problems that we've got to, that we've got to address. I think, in this country. The other issues that I'll be working on is trying to reform the Bonneville power administration and because they're in financial difficulty right now and trying to address that. Plus all of the other issues, as I said, whether it's the Idaho National Laboratory, whether it's colleges and universities, making sure they have the resources to, to reopen and get students back on campus. Those are the things I'll be working on.

Do you have any specifics on how you would manage community growth in the long term?

Well, you know, that's more for a local individuals. That's why we have state legislatures. That's why we have mayors and city councils. They're responsible for handling the city growth. Now, Idaho is a booming state because our economy is doing very well, fastest growing in the nation. But that brings a lot of, a lot of people from out of state that want to move to Idaho. And so that's why you have city councils are going to deal with that. With that. I don't think the federal government is the party responsible, or probably shouldn't be the party responsible for trying to handle that.