Dist. 1A Rep. Mark Sauter to seek a second term

By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff

Republican Rep. Mark Sauter has announced he will seek a second term serving in the District 1A seat of the Idaho Legislature.

Stating in a news release that, “It’s been a good learning and working experience. I believe there is more to do for our district, and I want to be a part of that process,” Sauter threw his hat in the ring for the May 2024 GOP primary, going on to add, “I ran as a Republican [in 2022] with a conservative platform to support our community and way of life in our district. My campaign message and flyers contained the bullet points I stood/stand for.” 

Those priorities included support for education; commitment to a comprehensive review of the state’s tax system, and especially property taxes; standing for public safety and ensuring the state’s business environment remains attractive; and promoting the need for improved career technical education for Idaho students and communities.

Sauter highlighted his engagement with residents throughout his first term, pointing to his attendance at public events and meetings, where he “learned a great deal more about our district and the needs and interests of our voters.” 

Rep. Mark Sauter. File photo.

“Our health care system is one important example,” he added. “We have a sizable population of residents who utilize Medicare and Medicaid insurance. Half of those depending on Medicaid are children. The funding for both these programs directly funds our health care providers, not individual residents.”

In his announcement, Sauter also underscored that the 2023 legislative session included the successful passage of “some property tax relief, improving funding for schools and investing in our state.” 

Additionally, Sauter noted increased state support for career technical education through the Launch program, which is targeted toward high school graduates with an interest in careers in high-demand sectors. 

“We passed balanced budgets for our state services as required and supported prioritized improvements. We were fortunate to have the revenue to make such investments,” he stated. 

“It’s been said that government should be boring. Afterall, our families, health care system, education community and businesses have many other issues to focus on,” Sauter continued.

Portions of Sauter’s term in office so far have been less than “boring,” with a vote of “no confidence” coming from the Bonner County Republican Central Committee in April 2023, which alleged that he had failed to “represent the Republican Platform and the principles of the Idaho Republican Party,” according to the BCRCC.

Sauter told the Reader in April that he hadn’t run for office in the May 2022 primary seeking the endorsement of the BCRCC, yet still won a majority of votes in the election.

“Their endorsement, you could say, is their vote of confidence. I never asked for it, never got it, but now they’re going to pull it back and say, ‘By the way, we don’t have confidence in you.’ Well, you never gave it to me,” he said at the time.

Rather, Sauter reiterated that his goal is to focus on the business of the state, rather than intra-party politics.

“Our residents depend on our state to provide a foundation of services they can count on,” he stated in his announcement. “We all support this foundation with our tax dollars and our community service. It’s also our responsibility to allocate these funds wisely, with an eye on the future.”

Referring to his experience at the Capitol, Sauter stated that he has the leadership skills and community relationships to “responsibly represent our district,” and asked for voters’ support “so that I may continue to serve them.”

“We have had success. Idaho is an attractive place to live, raise a family and work. I know with persistent effort; we can maintain what we have and continue to improve,” he added. “It’s an honor to serve our community as one of the elected representatives.”

Pointing to the “potential for ‘turbulence’ during the campaign season,” Sauter invited voters to contact him directly with questions or comments at [email protected]. In addition, he stated that he plans on making frequent weekend visits to the district for meet-and-greets and other events during the 2024 legislative session, which begins in January.