OSBURN — U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher joined Republican candidates from across Shoshone County and North Idaho on Tuesday afternoon at the Silver Valley Event Center for a community forum, discussing issues ranging from property taxes and public safety to federal land management and the role of government. 

Fulcher, state legislators Heather Scott, Phil Hart and Dale Hawkins, and county candidates Shawn Wehr, Julie Hernandez and Robert Savage each addressed attendees before participating in a brief question-and-answer session. 

Hernandez, who is challenging incumbent Rick Smith for Shoshone County coroner, said her decision to run is rooted in a belief that public service is among the highest callings a person can pursue and that she wants to model that commitment for her children. 

"I believe if you want to see change, you need to step up and serve," she said. 

Savage, who is running against Democrat Katie Murray for Shoshone County assessor, said he wants to bring change to the office and ensure county residents are treated fairly regardless of their political or personal beliefs. 

A full-time contractor, Savage said he has seen too many instances of people losing their homes because of taxes tied to what he believes are inflated property valuations. 

"I want to make sure people are being fairly assessed," Savage said. "I don't care if you are a Christian conservative or a Satanic atheist that is a liberal. Please understand that after 54 years of a Democratically ran assessor's office I think it's time for change." 

Shoshone County Sheriff Shawn Wehr, who is running unopposed in the upcoming election, used his time to review accomplishments since being appointed to the position in April. 

Those accomplishments include fully staffing the sheriff's office dispatch center, adding new patrol and detention deputies, emphasizing jail maintenance, revamping the department's search-and-rescue team and carrying over roughly $800,000 from the previous budget year into fiscal year 2027. 

His next goal, Wehr said, is to bring jail staffing and maintenance to a level that will allow the facility to achieve certification through the Idaho Sheriffs' Association. 

"Because I'm not running against somebody, this isn't political for me," Wehr said. "I'm a constitutional guy; believe it or not, that helps all aspects of our society, left and right. I'll continue to be responsible with taxpayers' dollars. Ultimately, we're going to be a sheriff's office that the community can be proud of." 

State lawmakers Hawkins, Scott and Hart each highlighted their work in the Idaho Legislature, priorities for another term and vision for the state. 

Hawkins is running against Democrat Sabine Krier for Idaho House District 2, Seat B. Scott faces Democrat Birgid Niedenzu in House District 2, Seat A, while Hart is opposed by Democrat Val Wade in the race for Idaho Senate District 2. 

Among the topics discussed were the national debt, affordable housing and efforts to restore constitutional principles to government. 

Fulcher closed the presentations by praising the work being done at the local and state levels and noting that fellow lawmakers in Washington, D.C., often tell him how fortunate he is to represent Idaho. 

"We live in the greatest state in the country," Fulcher said. "There's not a week that goes by where somebody doesn't say, 'I wish I had in my state, what you do in Idaho.'" 

Fulcher is being challenged by Democrat Kaylee Peterson, independent Sarah Zabel and Constitution Party candidate Brendan Gomez. 

Among Fulcher's key topics was the relationship between federal, state and local officials. He noted that more than half of Idaho is federally managed land, requiring regular coordination between different levels of government. 

Federal land management remains one of the key issues Fulcher and other members of Congress address each year as they seek funding through programs such as Payments in Lieu of Taxes, or PILT, and Secure Rural Schools, or SRS. 

Those programs help offset the impact of untaxable federal lands and provide support for services such as schools and roads. 

"That's part of the challenge," Fulcher said. "It's part of the dynamic that we have and it's a blessing. Those federal lands are an absolute blessing. We want to keep those even more public than they are, but that's just part of the dynamic we struggle with." 

Fulcher also discussed partisanship in Washington and concerns about the possibility of Democrats regaining control of the House and Senate in the upcoming election. 

He said roughly half of elected officials support a more limited government operating within the framework of the Constitution and founded on Christianity, while the other half believe a larger government role is necessary. 

While acknowledging both sides make compelling arguments, Fulcher said he subscribes to the former view. 

Fulcher concluded with a story about sixth President John Quincy Adams, an early opponent of slavery who spent years advocating for its abolition. Even after serving as president, Adams returned to Congress and continued that fight. 

During one of his final efforts to pass anti-slavery legislation, Adams suffered a stroke and later died in the U.S. Capitol. Fulcher recounted that, when Adams was asked why he continued pursuing legislation he knew would fail, Adams reportedly responded, "The duty is ours, but the result is God's." 

According to Fulcher, five members of Congress carried Adams from the House chamber to a nearby room after he suffered the stroke. Fulcher said one of those lawmakers was Abraham Lincoln. 

Fulcher said Adams' perseverance helped pave the way for future leaders to continue the fight against slavery. 

"What the sixth president did not accomplish, the 16th, through a tragic war, did," Fulcher said. "I just want to leave you with that word of encouragement, because it impacted me. The duty is ours, but the result is God's." 

    Shoshone County Sheriff Shawn Wehr highlighted his department's successes during the recent candidate forum in Osburn.