Seven Days Before the Vote

The journey of a small-town Idaho girl learning that true service requires courage, conviction, and grace.

May 12, 2026

A Quiet Evening and an Honest Reflection

Sitting on my back porch after a long day, listening to the quiet calm and the birds singing their sunset songs, I found myself reflecting on the journey that brought me here. In just seven days, the people of Idaho will once again make their voices heard and decide who they trust to serve them for the next two or four years, depending on the race.

As I look back on the last four years you sent me to Boise, I am humbled by the responsibility you placed in my hands. You trusted me not to compromise my oath, my principles, or your liberties, and I have carried that responsibility with deep gratitude every single day.

I think back to a small-town Idaho girl who spent her summers riding horses, swimming, and eating fresh peaches and pears straight from the trees. Life was simpler then, and the world felt very different just a few decades ago. Never in my wildest imagination would I have believed that path would one day lead me to serve as your Idaho State Senator.

It has been a journey filled with mountaintops and valleys. Along the way, I have met countless people and walked through experiences, both good and hard, that shaped me in ways I never expected. The victories taught me humility, while the difficult seasons taught me courage. Both taught me grace, mercy, and gratitude. Looking back now, I can honestly say I am thankful for every part of the journey.

Who I Am at My Core

I know it is hard to know what to believe when it comes to government today. Many people no longer trust the government or, to be brutally honest, the people elected to keep it in check and uphold their oaths. I hear you. I understand it more than you may realize, because I am living it too.

The deeper I stepped into public service, the more I saw the pressure, the politics, the influence, and the compromises that too often happen behind closed doors. That reality has made me even more determined to stay grounded in who I am and where I came from.

So let me remind you who I am at my core.

I have always been a hard worker and someone who learns by jumping in and figuring things out. I taught myself how to swim. I competed in tennis and earned third place in Idaho in mixed doubles. I was the girl serving coffee and meals at the truck stop in Jerome and working shifts at the local cinema.

Right out of high school, I got married and left my small-town life for the busy streets of Los Angeles, working numerous jobs while learning how different the world could be outside Idaho. Then came motherhood in my twenties, one of the greatest blessings and hardest responsibilities of my life.

Every season brought challenges, lessons, sacrifices, and growth. Looking back now, I can see how each chapter was shaping me long before Boise ever knew my name. The determination, resilience, courage, and grit I carry today were not learned in politics, they were forged long before politics ever entered my life.

My Faith and My Compass

I am a born-again Christian, and Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I cannot share who I am without sharing my faith, because my faith is the foundation that keeps me rooted in my convictions.

It is through Jesus that I learned my true worth, not through titles, accomplishments, approval, or worldly success, but through knowing I was created, loved, and redeemed by Him. That matters deeply because the way I view people and leadership flows directly from that foundation.

When Jesus said the greatest commandments were to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself, He was not speaking lightly. I take those words to heart.

I do not believe we can truly love others well until we understand how deeply we ourselves are loved by God. Christ gave His life for us while knowing our failures, betrayals, and shortcomings. The rejection, betrayal, false accusations, and attacks He endured are beyond comprehension, yet on a very small scale I have experienced glimpses of those same things in public life.

And still, He chose forgiveness.

There were many miracles Jesus performed, but for me personally, one of the greatest miracles of all is the ability to forgive those who have hurt you. That kind of forgiveness does not come naturally. It comes from surrender, humility, and understanding the mercy we ourselves have been given.

I will not sacrifice my soul for the world, for political approval, or for a Senate title. I will do my best to do what is right, with God as my compass and truth as my guide. A ship can never reach its destination if it loses sight of True North, and I believe the same is true for our lives, our communities, and our government.

Question Everything

I know there are commercials, text messages, phone calls, mailers, and whisper campaigns designed to make you question who to trust. And honestly, you should question them. That is part of your responsibility as an informed voter.

I encourage you to reach out to every one of us running for office. Ask hard questions. Listen carefully. Seek both sides before making up your mind. We live in a time where narratives are often built before truth is even sought.

That is why I have always made my phone number available to you, and why I will continue to do so. I never want to forget how important it is for people to have the opportunity to explain their reasoning, experiences, and decisions. Every one of us knows what it feels like to have something said about us without being given the chance to respond.

I believe listening matters. I believe transparency matters. And I believe leadership should never become so elevated that it forgets the people it serves.

For Mother’s Day, I watched a movie, try to guess which one. No, it was not The Notebook, it was Gladiator II. There was a quote in the movie that stayed with me long after it ended:

“The best revenge is to not become those who have hurt you.”

That struck something deep inside me because that is truly my goal. I do not want bitterness, anger, or politics to harden my heart. I do not want to become like those who wound others. I want to be someone who loves, forgives, stands firm in truth, and refuses to return hurt for hurt.

A Final Thought

As I finish writing this, the sun is finally setting beyond the Idaho horizon, and the sky is painted in shades of pink, orange, purple, and gray. Moments like this remind me that God is always faithful, even in uncertain times.

Over the next seven days, I will run this race with everything I have. I would be honored and humbled to continue to serve you, sacrificing my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor for you, for the future of our children and grandchildren.

The liberties we enjoy today were paid for dearly by Founders, and we must never take them for granted.

So please, get out and vote. Not just because it is your right, but because it is your duty.

My prayer for you is this: May God bless your homes, your families, your health, and your future. May He give you wisdom in uncertain times, courage to stand for truth, and peace that steadies your heart. May we never lose sight of the blessings of liberty, the importance of faith, and the responsibility we carry to leave a stronger Idaho for the generations that come after us.

Bible Verse:

“He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?”
~Micah 6:8