COEUR d'ALENE - Jeff Ward, president of the Kootenai County Reagan Republicans, announced Thursday he is running for the state Legislature.

"It's a crucial time to do something like this," Ward said.

Ward will seek to replace Frank Henderson, of Post Falls, who will not run again for his District 3 House seat.

Ward, 49, of Post Falls, made his announcement atthe Reagan Republicans luncheon at Fedora Pub and Grille in Coeur d'Alene.

The economy has been destroyed by decisions made in Washington, D.C., and people in Post Falls are suffering, he said.

"It's time that somebody on the state level came up and said we're going to try and improve things," Ward said.

The Post Falls area can be a huge economic engine, he said. Economic opportunity there abounds.

"I don't understand, with a conservative state like Idaho, why we don't have to hire more Idaho state patrolman to regulate the truck traffic coming from Washington state bringing new businesses into Idaho," Ward said.

He wants to work to make Idaho a better place to do business.

"We in Idaho need to start focusing on how we free businesses, by reducing taxes and regulation and stop deciding that 'freebies' are the way to attract businesses," Ward said.

He would also work to improve Idaho's schools.

"I think one of the best ways to do it is to increase competition and increase accountability in our education system," Ward said. He pointed to the Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy as a positive example.

Ward worked in politics for approximately 10 years as a state legislative staffer, a congressional staffer and political consultant. He also worked in the educational publishing industry.

He doesn't plan to resign from the presidency of the Reagan Republicans while he runs for office, but he said he will avoid any conflicts of interest.