Ringo's bid for US Congress falls short

Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, was re-elected to represent Idaho's 1st Congressional District for a third term Tuesday after triumphing over his Democratic opponent, Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow.

The race was called shortly after polls closed in Idaho.

During his campaign, Labrador stated the national debt is the most important issue facing Congress in 2015. He said the nation's $17 trillion debt is making it difficult for Idaho families to find jobs and it is hurting basic government services. He said he wants to address this issue by reforming entitlement programs that he deems "unsustainable" for the country, according to an Oct. 17, Daily News report.

Labrador pointed to two other areas of focus for economic development. Reducing regulation would help because "businesses are forced to spend a disproportionate amount of money on compliance rather than investing in more employees," and he'd also like to work on reforming the tax codes to tighten up loopholes that make it difficult to collect revenue from citizens, whether they are rich or poor, Labrador said.

"I will continue working to ensure that our regulatory structure protects consumers and the economy without being an overwhelming burden on business and industry," he said.

He cites as examples his bill to remove federal restrictions on geothermal energy exploration and efforts to advance the Grazing Improvement Act to help America's agribusiness families - both of which aim to improve conditions for Idaho businesses, he said.

When it comes to education, Labrador said he wants to see the states and local school systems have the ultimate say. The federal government doesn't have "a legitimate role," he said.

He's also a proponent of charter schools.

Labrador has expressed opposition to Common Core, an initiative to develop uniform education standards for children in grades K-12 for mathematics, English and literature.

Labrador, who worked as an immigration lawyer, said an immigration system revamped by Congress could greatly benefit the United States, even economically.

In a Oct. 17 Daily News report, Ringo stated she ran because she said Congress is overfilled with elected officials solely "focused on ideology or political ramifications of their choices."

Ringo, who spent 14 years in the Idaho Legislature, campaigned with the promise of helping middle-class workers by implementing a living wage and stemming the torrent of wealth that has entered the hands of only the very rich.

Ringo, a retired teacher, said education plays a significant role in the economy as well, as it helps "young people develop their capabilities and achieve their potential."