U.S. Representative, Republican Primary
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Raul Labrador (R) | 32,224 | 80.95% |
| Gordon Counsil (R) | 4,130 | 10.37% |
| Isaac M. Haugen (R) | 3,454 | 8.68% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
About the Race
Incumbent Raul Labrador faces two challengers in his bid to continue representing North Idaho in Congress.
The Candidates
Raul Labrador
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 56
- City:
- Eagle, Idaho
- Occupation:
- Incumbent congressman
Education: Earned bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and a law degree from the University of Washington.
Work experience: Immigration attorney
Political experience: Three-term congressman. Co-founder of the “Freedom Caucus” in the House, a group of conservatives who successfully engineered the ouster of then-House Speaker John Boehner. Ran unsuccessfully for House majority leader in 2014. Served two terms in the Idaho state House.
Family: Married. Has five children.
.
Gordon Counsil
- Party:
- Republican
- City:
- Caldwell, Idaho
Counsil, who said he brings experience from being a farmer and landlord and academic experience with elementary education, previously ran unsuccessfully for the state Legislature in 2014 as an independent, receiving 4.2 percent of the vote. He calls himself a "strong protectionist" who wants all state public works contracts to go to Idaho firms.
Isaac M. Haugen
- Party:
- Republican
- City:
- Santa Rosa, California
The Santa Rosa, Calif. resident filed to run as a Republican for Idaho's 1st District congressional seat in the primary; he hasn't responded to inquiries from reporters.
Complete Coverage
Eye on Boise: Summit eyes elevating civility in Idaho’s public discourse
The “Idaho Civility Summit” wrapped up on a positive note last week, with participants including elected officials, civic leaders and members of the press backing several moves to enhance civil discourse in the state, from education and training in the schools to a possible civility pledge to formation of more City Clubs around the state.
Labrador on news sources, Social Security, and who squashes whom…
A few tidbits from 1st District GOP Congressman Raul Labrador’s appearance in Eagle today: When a constituent told Labrador, a tea party conservative, that she never watches Fox News, Labrador responded, “I actually watch CNN more than any other, because I don’t want one side…
Owner of Eagle cafe where Labrador spoke once ran for seat he holds now
Interestingly, the Eagle café where GOP Rep. Raul Labrador met with an overflow crowd of constituents today, Wild West Bakery & Espresso, is owned by a former Democratic candidate for the same congressional seat the Labrador holds today. Naomi Preston, who also is a champion…
Labrador: Refugee concern is about safety, not religion
A constituent wearing a “Promise Keepers” shirt questioned Rep. Raul Labrador today about allowing Muslim refugees into the United States, saying he read the Koran after the 9/11 attacks, and then quoting extensively from it, including, “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them.” Labrador had this…
Labrador blames ‘establishment in Washington’ for ally Huelskamp’s loss in Kansas GOP primary
Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador today blamed the “establishment in Washington” for the defeat of his ally and fellow Freedom Caucus member Tim Huelskamp, who lost his re-election bid in a Republican primary in Kansas yesterday. Labrador, speaking at a “Conversations with the Congressman” meeting at…
Labrador’s finances, luring tourists, longitudinal data on Idaho college grads…
My Sunday column examines Idaho Rep. Raul Labrador’s ranking as the sixth-poorest member of Congress, based on his federal financial disclosures; the latest lure Idaho’s trying to entice tourists - virtual reality videos; and new data on Idaho college grads…
Eye on Boise: Idaho Rep. Labrador is sixth-poorest in Congress, site says
Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador is the sixth-poorest member of Congress, according to a comparison by
Idaho Rep. Labrador is 6th-poorest member of Congress
Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador is the sixth-poorest member of Congress, according to a comparison by InsideGov.com, with an average net worth, based on his federal financial disclosures, of minus $216,000. That’s far eclipsed by the poorest member, Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., whose $25 million-plus in…
Labrador praises Trump’s selection of Pence as running mate
Idaho Rep. Raúl Labrador posted this statement on Facebook over the weekend, reacting to Donald Trump’s decision to name Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who also served in the U.S. House for more than a decade, as his vice presidential running mate: “Mike Pence is a…
House holds lively hearing on Labrador’s ‘First Amendment Defense Act’ re same-sex marriage
A House committee is holding a hearing today on Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador’s “First Amendment Defense Act,” which seeks to protect people who act because of their religious views about same-sex marriage or extra-marital relations from any federal penalties, including loss of federal grants, contracts,…
Idaho’s Raul Labrador: Trump should pick Ted Cruz as running mate
Idaho 1st District Congressman Raul Labrador, who will be going to the national GOP convention in Cleveland as a Ted Cruz delegate, called Thursday for Donald Trump to choose Cruz as his running mate.
Labrador says he thinks Trump should choose Cruz as running mate
Idaho 1st District Congressman Raul Labrador, who will be going to the national GOP convention in Cleveland as a Ted Cruz delegate, called today for Donald Trump to choose Cruz as his running mate. Labrador said that would take “the two guys who got about…
Labrador decries decision in Texas abortion clinic case; Piotrowski says it protects women’s health
Idaho 1st District Congressman Raul Labrador and his Democratic challenger, James Piotrowski, had sharply differing reactions to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today in a Texas case, which the Washington Post called the court’s most important decision on abortion-related issues in 25 years. Labrador said…
Labrador’s Dem challenger calls him out on Trump comments
James Piotrowski, the Democrat who’s challenging Idaho GOP 1st District Rep. Raul Labrador, sent out a news release today calling on Labrador to clarify how he can support presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump after Trump’s comments about a federal judge and the judge’s Mexican…
Labrador: Momentum building for sentencing reform
Here’s my full story from spokesman.com: By Betsy Z. Russell BOISE – Idaho GOP Congressman Raul Labrador says momentum is building in Congress for major criminal justice reforms, aimed at reversing decades of focus on long prison terms that even hit non-violent and first-time offenders. “I…
Raul Labrador says momentum building for bipartisan sentencing reform
Idaho GOP Congressman Raul Labrador says momentum is building in Congress for major criminal justice reforms, aimed at reversing decades of focus on long prison terms, even for non-violent and first-time offenders. “I believe that we’re going to see some of the greatest reforms in a generation,” Labrador told a criminal justice reform conference Monday in Boise.