East Idaho Elects: Zollinger and Morrison battle it out for the second time
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IDAHO FALLS — Rep. Bryan Zollinger is running for his second term serving in Idaho Legislative District 33 Seat B. His opponent is Democratic candidate George Morrison. This is the second time, both men have sought the seat.
In 2016, Bryan Zollinger was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives after his predecessor, Linden Bateman, retired. Zollinger defeated his Morrison, with 66 percent of the vote.
Bryan Zollinger
“I believe the United States Constitution was divinely inspired,” Bryan Zollinger said. “It’s my duty to uphold the constitution and protect those liberties that are granted to us by God and protected by the Constitution.”
Zollinger said one of the main things he hopes to accomplish is lowering taxes.
“I’m definitely going to focus on repealing the grocery tax, lower taxes for everybody and create a competitive economic environment where we continue to welcome businesses to Idaho through low tax policy and lower government regulation on small businesses,” he explained.”
Zollinger, who serves on the House Health and Welfare Committee, said he believes healthcare will be one of the biggest issues the Legislature will face in the 2019 legislative session regardless of whether the Medicaid expansion passes.
“If Proposition 2 (Medicaid expansion) passes, we’ve got to determine what pot we’re going to take the money out of to pay for it and how we’re going to maintain a balanced budget while paying for Proposition 2,” Zollinger said. “If it doesn’t pass, my focus will be on finding an Idaho solution to help those people while we try to get back to a free market system in health care so we can reduce costs for everybody.”
Zollinger grew up in Salem and graduated from Sugar-Salem High School. He graduated with a bachelors degree from the University of Utah and received his Juris Doctorate from Florida Coastal School of Law.
He and his wife have been married for 16 years and have five children.
Learn more about Zollinger on his website.
George Morrison
George Morrison said one of the reasons he decided to run was because he believes after a certain party has been in power for too long they lose their accountability to the people.
“I’ve long been interested in government and community service,” Morrison said. “I’ve lived in Idaho Falls now for 30 years. I’ve been on the Planning and Zoning Commission for the city for 10 years. I’ve gotten involved pretty heavily in local politics in the last three or four years.”
Morrison said Idaho has some serious issues with its education system and would like to work towards correcting that if elected.
“We need to get the teachers’ pay up,” he said. “We need to work as a society to think of teachers as important as doctors or scientists or anybody. A lot of teachers, especially elementary school teachers, use their own money to buy supplies and stuff for the kids, and that’s just not right.”
Morrison said the Idaho Constitution requires all Idaho schools should be equal.
“They obviously aren’t because the bigger cities have more money and can do more for their schools, and the state should pick up that slack,” Morrison said. “There are a lot of rural schools that are on a four-day week because they don’t have the money.”
Morrison also believes health care is a large issue and is in favor of expanding Medicaid.
Before moving to Idaho, Morrison lived in California, where he was a registered Republican.
“I don’t feel like my views have changed at all, but it seems like the Republicans have gone a lot farther to the right than I was at that time,” he said.
Morrison joined the Air Force when he was 18 and served for four years. He and his wife were married while he was in the Air Force. They have four children.
Learn more about Morrison on his website.