EAST IDAHO ELECTS: Rep. Mike Simpson takes on Democratic challenger Aaron Swisher - East Idaho News
East Idaho Elects

EAST IDAHO ELECTS: Rep. Mike Simpson takes on Democratic challenger Aaron Swisher

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Veteran Republican Congressman Mike Simpson (R – Idaho Falls) is facing off against Democratic challenger Aaron Swisher (D – Boise) to keep his seat in the United States House of Representatives.

Rep. Mike Simpson

Mike Simpson is currently serving his tenth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was first elected in 1998. Prior, he served in the Idaho House of Representatives.

According to Simpson’s website, he currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee and in a variety of other subcommittees.

“Simpson is one of the House’s leading advocates for a new energy policy and a renewed commitment to research and development of improved nuclear energy technologies,” according to Simpson’s congressional website.

Simpson believes government spending has gotten out of hand. In an attempt to remedy the problem, Simpson co-sponsored the Balanced Budget Amendment. The Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, if ratified, would have forbidden the federal government from spending more than it brings in, in a fiscal year.

“Mike also voted against Obama’s plan to bailout mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, saving taxpayers up to $200 billion,” according to his website.

Simpson boasts an A+ rating from the NRA, a 100 percent lifetime rating from National Right to Life and receives recognition annually from the American Conservative Union.

Simpson first began his career in politics when he was elected to the Blackfoot City Council in 1980. In 1984 he was elected to the Idaho Legislature and served until he was elected to Congress.

Simpson graduated from Utah State University and earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine from the Washington University School of Dental Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

He and his wife currently live in Idaho Falls.

Learn more about Simpson at his campaign website, simpsonforcongress.com and his congressional website simpson.house.gov.

Aaron Swisher

Aaron Swisher defeated his Democratic opponent, Peter Rickards in the May primary with 67.6 percent of the vote. According to his website, Swisher decided to run for office “to create a better deal for working-class Americans.”

With a degree in economics from Boise State University, taxes and the economy are his two main areas of focus. Swisher even published a book, ‘Resuscitating America: An Independent Voter’s Guide to Restoring the American Dream,’ on reviving the U.S. economy and balancing the budget.

“After leaving BSU, Aaron worked at Micron Technology, where he quickly moved to the company’s treasury department to manage the corporation’s cash,” according to Swisher’s website. “It was during this time that he began to realize that America had an income disparity problem and the economy — particularly the housing market — lacked the foundation that was truly needed to support solid growth.”

During a debate between Swisher and Rickards, Swisher outlined what he would like to see happen in place of President Donald Trump’s tax cut bill passed earlier this year.

“What I’m actually in favor of is adding a new tax bracket starting at a million dollars, raising taxes on income over a million dollars a year and taking that money and using it to simplify the system and reduce rates for those making less than half a million dollars a year,” he said.

Swisher was born and raised in West Virginia. He officially relocated to Idaho after attending BSU and began working at Micron Technology.

He also has a second book on its way to be published. “‘The Wealth and Poverty of Capitalist Nations,’ puts forward a new school of economic thought that fixes the problems caused by Republican and Democratic economic theories,” according to his website.

Swisher and his wife live in Boise and have a two-year-old son.

“We want to make sure that when he grows up, he can get a good paying job that rewards him properly for the efforts that he puts forth,” Swisher said in a previous interview.

Learn more about Swisher at his website swisherforidaho.com.

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