As the least regulated state in the nation, Idaho continues to be the best place to call home. I am Laurie Lickley and today, I announce my candidacy for the Idaho Senate in LD26. As a small business owner, mom, and grandmother, I am a passionate advocate for creating an Idaho our children and grandchildren will be proud to inherit. My roots run deep in Idaho, and I care about Idaho’s future. Problem solving, collaboration, cooperation, listening, and learning are all characteristics and skills that I bring to the table. As a century ranching family in Jerome, we have survived the cyclical nature of commodity prices, life, and death, sometimes within the same hour, and mother nature’s vicious hardships. We raised our family and continue to work at our integrated ranching operation, setting aside time to serve our community. Hard work inspires me to be a better leader. I do not back down from adversity and thrive on diversity. I will never be an expert in all areas but thrive to seek out those who are and make certain that they have a seat in the conversation, regardless of whether it is popular or not. I will stand up to represent YOU.  I want a movement to create a safe place to talk about women’s health, abortion, mental health, and contraception. I want our libraries to be a safe place for children and adults to explore and learn, where librarians are used and appreciated for their expertise.In my time on the Idaho Behavioral Health Council, we rolled out the 988 Crisis Hotline in Idaho and framed up additional mental and behavioral health services for our youth. I am an advocate for early childhood education (read, talk, play) and a proponent of k-12 and higher education and training. Education allows everyone to explore their future with support from their families, educators, and communities. This is an investment worth protecting.  With my background in natural resource policy, I know programs like the Good Neighbor Authority work, keeping public lands in public hands with Idaho’s plan to effectively manage our forests. Growth here puts tremendous pressures on services and resources and will be our biggest challenge moving forward. You deserve a proven leader who can preserve and protect Idaho’s water and its users and support our law enforcement and emergency responders. In Idaho, we pride ourselves in working together, sometimes when we do not agree, and respectfully putting forth solutions that benefit the broader good. This legislative district of Blaine, Jerome, and Lincoln counties is more diverse than most in Idaho and needs competent, reasonable leadership. I will push back on extremism in Idaho and practice disagreeing better. I am the State Senator to help lay the groundwork for Idaho’s future. An Idaho Constitutional Scholar says, “Everything you have enjoyed is a function of our constitutional democracy.” The Constitution should not be cherry picked to fit a single narrative. Protection of rights, life, and property are our most basic constitutional rights, but that is for everyone. We cannot argue that the Declaration of Independence makes all men equal—now I am happy to debate this as a woman, but one person’s rights do not trump another’s. Truth, evidence, and facts. Reasoned discourse and fiscal accountability. I will push back on extremism in Idaho. I am Laurie Lickley; together, we will protect the American Dream, our families, our communities, and Idaho’s future.