SANDPOINT — Idaho state Representative Cornel Rasor, R-Sagle, announced his intent to run for reelection to his District 1B seat last Tuesday.

Rasor, a longtime Bonner County resident, was elected to the House for the first time in 2024 and has served on the Business, Health and Welfare and Local Government committees. He said he will be seeking reelection because numerous residents requested it and had already begun sending donations prior to any announcement. 

“I had intended to become a legislator for a couple or three terms,” Rasor said. “I don't know exactly how that's going to work out, but I believe we had a good start. So, I felt that it was an opportunity to continue what I was doing by running again.” 

While he proposed numerous bills last year, Rasor said he was most proud of a bill signed by the governor that worked to shrink the time needed for an adoption to take place by around four months.  

In this session, Rasor said he’s working on a “restroom protection bill” or House Bill 606. That bill would make it a misdemeanor for any person to enter a government owned restroom designated for the opposite biological sex. 

This year, Rasor said the issue he’s heard the most concern about from people is illegal immigration. Rasor said that he has become his focus for the 2026 session, putting in research time and working to support bills, like House Bill 700 and 704. 

“I've been assisting the folks that are running the bills,” Rasor said. “Helping them with whatever resources I have for research and working on the bills that they're running.” 

In addition to that, Rasor said he’s going to continue to pursue tax reform and cuts. Rasor said that those suggestions will come forward as he sees more from the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee, which is working to balance the budget. 

Rasor said he cannot comment on the state’s budget situation because he hasn’t seen the formal recommendation from JFAC. 

“Until I actually have a revenue bill in front of me, I don't know what the budget cuts are, so it's really hard to comment on that,” Rasor said. "I've seen the governor's budget cuts, but I haven't seen anything the Legislature has come forward with a bill yet.” 

Rasor said his agenda is set by the people he represents and that he is already receiving suggestions from them and agencies. He said he was unable to share them at the time of publication, but if elected, he would continue working on them and the things he shared before.  

“I've got bills that deal with simple things like filing, clerk papers, court papers, waivers of immunity with vaccines, reporting on coroner's reports,” Rasor said. “So, I've got a number of bills in the works... [and] it’s been a great privilege to serve the citizens.” 

Rasor’s name will appear on the ballot during the May 19 primary elections and is being challenged by Republican Chuck Lowman for his seat.