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Idaho State Senate District 1

Danielle Ahrens

Danielle Ahrens (R) Sandpoint,  is a 58 year old mother and grandmother who believes in the North Idaho values of God, family and country. She was raised in a family of six kids, being the middle child. Her mom was a stay at home mom and her dad was a surgeon and captain in the US Public Health Service, serving in the Army for many years.

She earned an AS in business and a BA in Psychology. She has earned a POST certificate, working as a correctional officer in Yolo County, California.

Danielle retired from a career in law enforcement and has continued in public service.

She has served on the boards of directors of Life Choices Pregnancy Center, Sandpoint, and the Bonner County Farm Bureau, where she was Government Affairs Chairman, and she was chairman of Republican Legislative District One for Bonner and Boundary Counties.

"It's very important to me that North Idaho is consistently represented well and our concerns are well heard by every political body and office throughout the state," she wrote. "I have and will continue to represent and address constituents concerns in our district of Bonner and Boundary counties, making sure to do all that I can to address the people's needs."

Danielle believes that the second amendment is our God given right to protect ourselves and families against those that would cause us harm, intended to enable us to stand against a rogue government. She believes in school choice and what is best for the individual student, whether it is public or private.

"Increased vocational programs as an alternative to singular college track education are largely ignored," she wrote, "and I plan to fix that."

She plans to empower small businesses and start ups with reduced regulations so that we can encourage businesses to offer living wage jobs, and says that Idaho is rich in resources that provide economic growth and sustainability if we manage them correctly. This can be done, she wrote, on a local and state level.

Source: Candidate's website

Scott Herndon

Scott Herndon (R), was born in Virginia and grew up in Sacramento, California. He attended high school at the Missouri Military Academy, where he was a company commander.

Scott attended Arizona State University and was president of the skydiving club there, accumulating almost 500 jumps while in college and hours of freefall. He worked 30 hours a week while in school, graduating in less than four years cum laude with a BS in Finance.

His first job out of college was as an auditor with the now defunct "Big 8" accounting firm Arthur Andersen in San Francisco. Scott met his wife Arlene in San Francisco while he was working for Charles Schwab & Co. on a team that installed PeopleSoft Financials software. Until 2005, Scott worked on various PeopleSoft installations as an independent contractor for Toyota Motor Sales, Sprint, UC Berkeley and the Los Angeles Office of Education which is the servicing agency for all of the LA County public school districts.

In 2004, Scott and Arlene moved to Sandpoint. They bought 15 acres up Otts Basin in Sagle and Scott built the family home and barn. One child was born at home in Sandpoint in 2005, and three more have been born in the rural family home in Sagle since 2007.

In 2007, Scott began his own business building homes and other residential buildings for Bonner and Boundary County homeowners. He has spent the last 11 years in business locally, employing a crew of three plus several subcontractors.

Scott has been a human rights activist in the local community and the state since 2013, advocating for equal protection under the law for all preborn human beings. In that capacity, his goal is to abolish human abortion, not just making abortion a criminal act, but making it an unthinkable act. In 2016, Scott started the circulation of a ballot initiative to abolish abortion and criminalize it as murder. As of January 2018, several thousand signatures have been obtained for that ballot measure, mainly Bonner and Boundary County, where the minimalist, volunteer initiative effort has been conducted on a very part-time basis.

Scott and Arlene and the family, with children ranging in age from 4 to 21, love North Idaho. There has literally never been another place they would consider since the 14 years they have lived here.

"It is a great community with friendly, helpful and liberty minded neighbors," he said.

James W. "Jim" Woodward

James W. "Jim" Woodward (R) Sagle, grew up in Bonner County and Boundary County, and having lived here more than three decades, he wrote, he's had the opportunity to learn, work and play here.

He graduated from Bonners Ferry High School and went on to the University of Idaho, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. His Idaho education laid the foundation for a career in the Navy, full time initially and as a reservist later, for a total of 21 years of military service.

He's worked locally in the construction industry since 2000, and currently owns and operates Apex Construction Services, a heavy construction and excavating company, established in 2008.

On education, he says the keys to anyone’s success are knowledge and skills. Both come through education in whatever form it may take.
"Educated and trained people provide for themselves, for their families and for the industries that generate economic vitality for our state," he wrote. "We need to provide the best possible education for our children whether it is preparation for college, technical or vocational education. Our children must have the ability to think and act for they are the future of North Idaho. As children become adults, we can provide educational opportunities locally through satellite campuses, on-line learning, and on-the-job training such as apprenticeships and internships."

He says the job of a legislator is listening to the people of the district and conveying their ideas in Boise or elsewhere in the State.

"As a business owner, I understand listening to customers’ needs and turning their desires into action," he wrote. "As a senator, I will listen to and represent all members of District 1. Through communication and collaboration we can generate great outcomes for North Idaho."

He says we must protect and manage our lands and water to the highest level, as these resources provide countless jobs in timber and tourism and limitless opportunities for sportsmen, recreational enthusiasts, and many others who consider the great outdoors a key part of our quality of life.

Source: Candidate's website