Current State Rep. Ruchti one of two options to fill Dist. 29 State Senate seat
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POCATELLO — Current State Representative James Ruchti is one of two candidates on the ballot to fill the State Senate District 29 seat formerly occupied by Mark Nye.
Ruchti, the Democratic candidate, has spent six years — 2006 to 2010 and 2020 through 2022 — in the State House of Representatives, two of those as the assistant minority leader. Republican candidate David Worley is new to politics, having run for Pocatello mayor last year, losing to Brian Blad in a runoff.
The 2022 general election will be Nov. 8.
More information about Ruchti’s campaign can be found on his website here.
More information about Worley’s campaign can be found on his website here.
EastIdahoNews.com sent both candidates the same eight questions. Candidates were required to keep each answer to 250 words or less. Worley did not complete the questionnaire; Ruchti’s responses are listed below.
Tell us about yourself — include information about your family, career, education, volunteer work and any prior experience in public office.
RUCHTI: I am a 5th generation Idahoan and Pocatello native. I am a West Point graduate. I served five years in the United State Army as a military intelligence officer.
During my time in the military, I was stationed in Germany, Arizona and Georgia. I was also deployed to Kuwait and spent time in Jordan training military intelligence officers.
I am a trial attorney. I graduated from the University of Idaho College of Law in 2001. I served as the President of the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association from 2017-18. I am a small business owner. My law partner and I own a thriving plaintiffs’ litigation firm in Pocatello.
I previously served in the Idaho House from 2006-10, and served as the Assistant Minority Leader for two of those years. I decided to run again in 2020 and was re-elected to the Idaho House.
I have been married to my wife, Wendy, since 1993. We have two sons, Spencer and Drew, who have graduated from college and are out tackling the world on their own.
What are your proudest accomplishments in your personal life or career?
RUCHTI: I am proud of the fact that I am a West Point graduate. My experience there was academically, physically and mentally challenging. I learned the importance of discipline, hard work and commitment.
I am proud to have served as the President of the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association. Trial lawyers work hard for their clients and fight for their legal rights.
I am proud of the small business my law partner and I have built. We have great employees who help us serve our clients.
I’m also proud of the time I have spent in the Idaho Legislature. It has given me a chance to serve my community.
Why are you a member of the Republican / Democrat / Independent / Other party? Briefly explain your political platform.
RUCHTI: I am a Democrat because it is a party that cares about people, their potential and the challenges they face. I am a moderate Democrat. I believe in local control, supporting businesses, and limited government. I enjoy working on consumer protection issues. I like finding solutions that help Idaho families live their best lives.
What are the greatest challenges facing Idahoans?
RUCHTI:Idahoans need an education system that works for their families. They need good paying jobs and a healthy economy. They need access to public lands and clean water. They need communities that are safe.
One of the things that should concern Idahoans is the role that the Idaho Freedom Foundation is playing in Idaho politics, especially the Idaho Legislature. Too many legislators are representing the Idaho Freedom Foundation instead of their local constituents. This is a problem that is only getting worse.
How will you best represent the views of your constituents – even those with differing political views?
RUCHTI: I am always open to discussions and other viewpoints. I try to push information out to my constituents about what is happening in the Legislature. I also hold town halls and other meetings to provide and receive information. During campaigns, I attend events and knock doors to talk to constituents.
Through these processes, I learn about the views of my constituents and those views inform my decisions in the Legislature, and sometimes change my mind about issues.
What role do lobbying entities play in the decision-making of Idaho legislators?
RUCHTI: Lobbying groups can play an important role in the legislative process. They educate legislators about issues and can help legislators understand all aspects of the policy proposals. They also can serve as a source for obtaining answers to questions, as well as a source for helping bills make it through the legislative process.
Legislators, of course, must take the information and advice they receive from lobbyists with an understanding that they have a goal in mind. It is pretty easy to figure out which lobbyists can be trusted and which ones cannot.
How can you encourage compromise, debate and a bipartisan approach to introducing new legislation in Idaho?
RUCHTI:I am a big believer in bipartisanship. Most of the bills I work on involve bipartisan efforts. I also socialize with members of the Republican Party on a regular basis to build relationships. Those relationships result in better legislation, more respectful debate and open discussions about what Idahoans need.
The best thing I can do is to continue to get to know other legislators so we can build relationships of trust. That is one of my biggest priorities both during and between sessions.
What parts of Idaho government could benefit from additional state funding? What part of Idaho government could be improved with financial cutbacks?
RUCHTI: Idaho K-12 and higher education need additional state funding. We need to focus on early learning programs. The more prepared our students are for their education, the more they will get out of it.
We should also concentrate on Career Technical Education programs to prepare our students for the workforce. We also need more funding for staff support – counselors, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, lunchroom workers, etc.
The Idaho Legislature could save millions in taxpayer money by getting rid of the Constitutional Defense Fund, which is used by the Legislature to defend lawsuits when it passes unconstitutional legislation. It seems like just about every year the Legislature passes laws the Idaho Attorney General’s Office warns are not constitutional and will result in litigation, but the Legislature passes them anyway and ends up spending millions in attorney fees and other costs defending them.