Commentary

The Board of Idaho Chooses Life has voted to endorse the candidacy of Rep. Lawerence Denney for the position of Secretary of State.

Denney has long served Idaho through his various roles in the Idaho House of Representatives.  Throughout his long public service, Denney has been an unapologetic advocate for Idaho’s preborn children.  He was one of the first officials to receive our “Friend for Life” Award back when he served as Majority Leader in the House. 

Denney’s opponents in this race, Evan Frasure and Mitch Toryanski, are both fine gentlemen who have previously been endorsed by this organization for other offices.  But in this race, Denney’s record of public service earns him our support.

During the time that Denney served as Speaker of the Idaho House, the pro-Life movement saw unprecedented gains in establishing protections for preborn children in Idaho law.  That was no accident.  Lawerence made it his business to create a welcome environment; every reasonable proposal to save lives was given his personal attention.

Much has been made by the liberal press and his political enemies over his very narrow defeat to a fourth term as Speaker in December of 2012.  Some have even tried to suggest that Denney had lost the confidence of his colleagues, or had somehow failed to properly fulfill his duties as Speaker.

Balderdash.

Lawerence Denney is a public leader of unusual integrity and humility.  He carries the mantel of public power with a down-to-earth graciousness that is truly remarkable.  He will bring that character to the office of Secretary of State.

Denney lost the Speakership for one and only one reason: An unprecedented campaign by special  interest groups in the 2012 elections to elect legislators willing to support their plans to impose ObamaCare upon the People of Idaho.  These interests, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, succeeded in bringing a gaggle of freshmen into the House.  By combining their votes with House Democrats, they were able to create the ObamaCare Exchange.  It is that simple.

Idaho deserves to have a statewide leader of Denney’s caliber overseeing our election process and serving us on the Land Board.