SANDPOINT — Local home builder, Scott Herndon, has announced he’s challenging Jim Woodward for the District 1 seat in the Idaho Senate.

Herndon said he plans to run because he felt Bonner and Boundary County residents aren’t being well represented by Woodward. Chair of the Bonner County Republican Central Committee, Herdon has previously served a two-year term in Idaho Senate in 2023 and 2024. 

“We've done a lot of talking to local people, and they want a more limited state government,” Herndon said. “They're more interested in their own personal liberties, and that's my great motivation to run is to control state spending, keep government to a limited role and make sure that people are able to exercise as many of their liberties as possible.” 

The most significant issue facing the Idaho Legislature in this session surrounds a large budget deficit, which has led to numerous cuts across the state. Herdon said he was in favor of these cuts because he believes the size of the state government has grown far outside it’s “proper role.” 

Herndon said he believes government should be limited to only critical services like education and roads. During his time in the Legislature, Herndon said he voted against a bill that would have distributed $10 million in taxpayer funds to help recognize America’s 250th anniversary.  

Herndon used the expansion of spending on Medicaid expansion, which was approved by voters in 2018, as an example of governmental overspending. 

“That's exactly the kinds of things that we do that are an over extension of governmental authority,” Herndon said of the bill. “It's completely reasonable, after huge growth in state governmental spending, that we actually trim some of the fat.” 

The issue with overspending is because of its trickledown effect on the state’s infrastructure, Herndon said. He said one of his top priorities if elected would be to expand the improvements to North Idaho highways, like what has been done in Kootenai County on Highway 95.  

Herndon said the growth of the region has stressed the roadways and led to safety concerns. 

“It takes a lot of planning to get a highway like we've been able to develop in Kootenai County on Highway 95 and that's what I'd like to see expanded up here,” Herndon said. “I really believe those are, like the big issues facing the state of Idaho at the moment, and it's going to take a lot of discipline to make that happen for the state of Idaho.” 

On his campaign website, Herndon lists “end all property taxes” as his top priority, if elected. He said that this plan is more of a 10-year vision, which would see the state pivot to funding local governments, instead of cities and counties leaning on property taxes for income. 

Herndon said he views property taxes as the least equitable form of taxation because they are based on property values, which can fluctuate by property.  

“When I was in the legislature, that was the number one concern that I ever got called about, was always property taxes,” Herdon said. “It threatens people's ability, especially as they retire, to remain in their homes, because there can be significant variations in market values over time, and it makes people feel like renters." 

Herndon graduated from the Missouri Military Academy in 1985 and from Arizona State University four years later. He currently operates a home building service, Scott Herndon Homes, but has experience in the computer programming industry and served five years as the Bonner County jail chaplain. 

Herndon's name will appear on the ballot against Woodward in the Republican Primary on May 19.  

“I'd love to see a huge portion of [Republicans] show up at the main primary election, and that we can exceed the turnouts that we've had in previous years,” Herndon said. "There are 35 legislative districts, and we have a 60% higher turnout. I'd like to see an 80% turnout way we know everybody's able to weigh in.”