Rep. Lance Clow faces challenger in the sole contested race in Twin Falls

TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Republican Lance Clow has been elected seven times by Twin Falls voters as a Representative in the Idaho State House. This year, he has a challenge from Democrat Lane Startin .

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(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story) Representative Lance Clow has been on ballots in Twin Falls since 1993, when he first ran for city council.

"It's actually nice to have a challenger," Clow told me. "More stressful, maybe, but it's nice to have a challenger."

Clow has spent 12 years in the state house, with education among his main interests

"Considering that over half of the state's budget is spent in public education, it's very important we get the policy right," Clow told me. "That's an important area for me."

Democrat Lane Startin is challenging Clow for the seat in the only contested legislative race in the district.

"Why am I running? Because I believe Twin Falls needs a real choice," Startin told me. "We need someone in office who is moderate, who is attentive, who is listening to people, and who is not beholden to a particular ideology or party. That's who I am."

Democrats have not historically fared very well in Twin Falls.

"It's a climb for sure and we were very aware of that," Startin said. "But you've got to start somewhere. You can't change anything if you don't run."

But Startin says he wants a voice — to help stop what he says is a trend in Idaho towards the far right.

"We need to put a stop to the extremism that is slowly, but surely taking our government on," Startin said.

Clow has articulated some of his positions, writing editorials in local papers to explain his stance.

"I have been critical of some of the actions taken around the state, centering candidates century legislators because they don't follow the platform exactly," Clow said. "I don't believe the Republican platform is a manifesto."

Clow contends he looks at each issue analytically.

"I'm very principled in what I think is the right thing to do, and proper thing to do, and what we should be doing or not be doing," Clow said. "I think I'm relatively aware of both sides of the issues and I don't align with the far right, I don't align with the democrats necessarily, but I know I'm solidly conservative."

Startin said his candidacy provides voters with a clear choice and a stark contrast between the two candidates

"He's against proposition one, I'm for it. He voted for the library bill, I'm against it. He's voted for the anti-choice things that have come through. I'm very much pro-choice," Startin said. "There's quite a bit of difference between us."