Foreman calls Moscow area ‘cesspool of liberalism’

Idaho 5th District Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, did not hold back his thoughts when speaking about Moscow area residents during a candidates forum Tuesday night at UpRiver Bible Church in Fernwood.

“Latah County, particularly the university, greater Moscow area, is a cesspool of liberalism,” Foreman said.

Some of the roughly 50 attendees inside the church applauded Foreman’s comments.

Foreman was joined by Hari Heath, R-Santa, and Terry Hardman, D-Sanders.

Foreman is facing a challenge from Marshall Comstock, R-Moscow, in the May primary election, and Hardman is facing Laurene Sorensen, D-Moscow, in a race for 5th District House Seat B, which is currently held by Caroline Nilsson Troy, R-Genesee. Heath is running against Bill Goesling, R-Moscow, for 5th District House Seat A, which is held by Margie Gannon, D-St. Maries.

All three present Tuesday expressed their opposition to abortion and support for the Second Amendment.

“Folks, we need to stop murdering unborn kids in America and in the United States,” Foreman said. “It’s immoral, and it’s just stupid, and it has to stop.”

He said the centerpiece of his legislative efforts has been pro-life legislation, which he said he attempted to introduce twice but could not even get the legislation into a committee.

If elected to another two-year term, Foreman said his anti-abortion campaign will be the cornerstone of his efforts once again.

Heath said he will be happy to work with Foreman on passing anti-abortion legislation if the two are elected.

“I’m your only pro-life candidate available in this particular race,” Heath said.

“Murder is a crime,” Heath added. “There’s no statute of limitations, and for good reason.”

Foreman also touched on the Second Amendment.

“If government starts placing restrictions on rights, then they are no longer rights,” Foreman said. “You shouldn’t have to bargain with anyone or pay a fee to exercise your rights.

“(Legislators) need to keep their bloody hands off of the Second Amendment,” Foreman added.

Foreman said Idaho senators will not “sell out” Idahoans’ Second Amendment rights.

“They don’t do a really good job on a lot of things in my opinion, and it’s an educated opinion,” Foreman said, “but with respect to the Second Amendment, they’ve held their ground, and I think will continue to do that.”

Heath also said the Second Amendment is an absolute right.

“Taking away the Second Amendment won’t take away the right that we already have,” Heath said.

Foreman said he voted “yes” on every pro-gun bill during the past two legislative sessions and voted “no” on every tax increase, “wasteful spending bill” and expansion of government effort he recognized.

“You have a good state government in terms of how it’s structured and how it’s supposed to run and could run,” Foreman said. “You have a very weak state government in terms of how it is running.”

Foreman said he voted against the University of Idaho budget twice and that he his happy he did because “there was a lot of pork in it, and I’m a steward of the people’s tax dollars.”

“If I see wasteful spending bills, I vote no,” Foreman said. “Other legislators are too doggone chicken to vote no when it comes to anything for education.”

Hardman, the lone Democrat at the forum, said he is pro-life and pro-Second Amendment. He said he believes the U.S. and Idaho constitutions are governing documents that need to be interpreted in the spirit they were written.

Heath said he wants the people to have control of government again.

“We the people are the ones who create government,” Heath said.

Three Benewah County Commissioner candidates also spoke Tuesday night.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.