COEUR d'ALENE - Rep. Marge Chadderdon had a fair assessment of the Coeur d'Alene resident running for her seat.

"My replacement is much younger," she said with a chuckle before a crowded floor at Fedora Pub and Grill on Tuesday night.

That's surely true of 30-year-old Luke Malek, who announced his candidacy at Fedora for Chadderdon's seat as representative of district 4 in the Idaho House of Representatives.

But speaking to a crowd that included other legislators and prominent members of the community, Malek assured he has plenty to offer voters, including a platform based on limited government.

"Idahoans can choose better for themselves than their government can," said Malek, a deputy prosecutor with Kootenai County.

Malek lauded Idaho's lawsuit against Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, he said, adding that he's proud to be part of a state fighting the federal government's "ever encroaching power."

His own decisions as a lawmaker could involve rejecting government funding, he added.

Originally from Post Falls, Malek believes he will make a strong lawmaker because he is open to listening to different points of view.

"It always helps to at least solidify my own convictions," he said.

Malek has a law degree from the University of Idaho, and a bachelor's degree from the College of Idaho in Caldwell. He has worked as community relations director at Dirne Community Health Center, and was North Idaho regional director for then-governor and now Sen. Jim Risch.

He has also worked as executive director of the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency, and as an intern for U.S. Sen. Larry Craig.

Malek will be running in the legislative primary election next May.

Chadderdon, who had announced late last year that she didn't plan to run again, gave Malek her support.

"All you have to do is look at his credentials," said Chadderdon, whose term is up next December.

After being a state representative since 2004, the 74-year-old said she is ready to slow things down.

"I've run extra times than what I'd originally thought," Chadderdon said.

Malek encouraged folks to look up his Facebook page or access www.lukemalek.com

"For those of you who don't know me, I hope you can take the opportunity during the campaign to get to know me," he said.