Loren Petty

Loren Petty was born in Boise, Idaho. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1977 to 1981. He earned a high school diploma from Capital High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Boise State University in 2001. His career experience includes working as a construction professional.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I served in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantryman from 1977 - 1981. After that I joined the family roofing business from 1981 - 2021. During that time I earned a BA in Communication with an emphasis on Journalism in 2001. From 1992 - 1997 I published a newsprint periodical called Boise Times. I ran for the Idaho legislature in 2024 and am running for the same seat in 2026.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I am a strong advocate for public education and am in strong opposition to Idaho's voucher program that rewards parents of children who choose to pursue private schooling. The voucher amount of $5000 per child is insufficient to cover most private school tuition, making the program a form of welfare for the wealthy who already can afford private school. But the worst aspect of this legislation is the fact that there is zero accountability, no testing required, no standard set for children enrolled in private school or those who are home schooled. Parents can remove their children from school and put them to work on the farm or in the family business with zero accountability.Idaho's strict anti-abortion law has created negative consequences for every citizen as beyond twenty-five percent of Idaho's OB Gyn's have left the state and left a legacy of Doctors from every specialty leaving the state to practice somewhere where they don't have to live in fear of prosecution for following standard medical procedures.The GOP majority has refused to raise the minimum wage of $7.25 for decades. They give a green light to unscrupulous landlords to prey on their prospective tenants by approving rental applications with no price limit and no limit on the number of people who can apply for one residence. Caveat Emptor is the modus operandi of the GOP majority as the populace is legally taken advantage of by every business in the state. Affordability for the average family in Idaho is non-existent. We need to do better for hard working citizens who deserve better.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe the root cause of corruption in government is the amount of money involved in campaign financing. The GOP majority is in thrall to big money donors who are actively pushing an agenda that does harm by advocating against public education, against government funding for health care, and against living wages for the people just trying to survive the day to day. I would love to introduce campaign finance reform to the Idaho election process.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My Dad founded a business based on fair pricing and quality craftsmanship. I strived to maintain that business according to his honest principles. It lasted for 62 years before I was medically forced to retire.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Selfless service to constituents.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Protecting the lives and livelihoods of all the people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to be known as an honest man who stepped up to answer the call of service to his country and state in a time of need.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was probably 11 years old when my Dad first paid me to dig irrigation ditches on our property.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have known the ups and downs of both good and bad financial times. I know what is like to have to juggle bills because there's not enough money in the bank to pay them all.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The Governor should lay out his agenda for the state, and the legislator is responsible for supporting the productive items in that agenda and resisting the damaging items.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Fighting the tools of neo-fascism and white supremacy currently occupying seats in the state legislature.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is both necessary and rare in the current state of hyper partisanship in this nation.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I have been endorsed by the Idaho Education Association. Personal endorsements from people I have served with, worked with, and worked for are available on my website, lorenpettyforidaho.com

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

The assassination of President Kennedy.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am an Idaho Native who graduated from Capital High School, served in the Marine Corps infantry, graduated from Boise State University, and spent forty years with our family roofing business.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Reproductive rights are human rights. Idaho's short-sighted anti-abortion legislation has severely affected health care for all Idaho women. Nearly twenty-five percent of practicing OBGyns have left the state, and many rural Idahoans are forced to travel hundreds of miles for routine care. And specialized care is often out of reach in Idaho, both because of the lack of providers and the lack of Doctors' ability to practice medicine in the best interest of the long-term health and future reproductive viability for women. This situation is untenable. Abortion is not a black and white issue. I understand the opposition to abortions of convenience, but the truth is there is no such thing as a convenient abortion, ever.Public education is the backbone of Democracy, and must be fully funded in accordance with the Idaho Constitution. Idaho's schools are hurting, due mainly to the Republican majority passing annual tax cuts that are starving our public schools instead of nurturing them. A perfect example is this year's combination tax cut and school maintenance funding bill. For the average family, the tax cut amounts to the price of a large pizza, for the wealthy, the tax cuts can add up to thousands of dollars. And the tax cuts add up to sixty million dollars in lost revenue for our schools. The maintenance money is funds to pay off old bond debt and the promise to help with new bond debt, if school districts can pass new levies, thus raising taxes.Health care is a human right. I strongly believe every person, regardless of income or job status, is entitled to quality health care. Implementing that as a member of the minority party in a Republican controlled state is not something I can honestly commit to achieving. But I will do my best to prevent harm. You should also understand that despite Idaho Republican officials boasts about deregulating everything in Idaho, when it comes to health care they do the opposite. I will always listen and heed the advice of Idaho's medical professionals when it comes to regulation of all health care services, and the ill effects of the Republican sponsored onerous regulations that are driving health care professionals out of our state.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

There is the aforementioned issues of public education, reproductive rights, and health care. In addition I favor more local control for municipal governments to deal with wages, rents, and other local issues that are adversely affecting the livability of their communities. The Republican majority in the legislature has constantly voted against local control with the latest volley against Idahoans exemplified by the set of extremely difficult to achieve regulations on Idaho's public libraries. Your local library board has been replaced by Billy Bob from North Carolina who can now launch a legal challenge against your library, from the comfort of Mom's basement, that could possibly result in the closure of your library.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I believe James Earl Carter is one of the finest men to ever walk the earth. He was too honest to be a really good politician, but he was a better President than most people realize.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

It is not so much a political philosophy but more an understanding about the duality of life that is presented in Ken Kesey's "Sometimes a Great Notion." The novel about a family of loggers in Oregon tells the tale of two very different brothers who finally unite to serve a cause bigger than both of them. Set in the 1960s, it's a timeless story that is still very appropriate for our time.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, Integrity, Compassion, and Empathy. Elected officials should be making decisions for the greater good of all the people, not their own family members, their own congregation, or their own financial interests.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I get along well with others. I like to try to understand both sides, or multiple sides, of every issue. Having lived in Idaho all my life, I would say that I hold similar values to most traditional Idahoans who can remember when we had a far more balanced government that served the people well. Idaho Democrats are not the same as California Democrats, and everyone would be well served to remember that. We believe that conservatism means maintaining and nurturing our prized institutions like public schools, public libraries, health care providers, Teachers, First Responders, and of course, the Idaho Constitution. Those other folks have attacked all of the above.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The purpose of government is to best enable people to meet their full potential and enable them to live life the way they choose. The purpose of government is not to tell people how to live their lives and maintain a permanent underclass that is easily exploited by employers, merchants, and landlords.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would just like to help Idaho move a couple of inches forward into the Twenty-first Century.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I recall the day President Kennedy was murdered in Dallas. I was four and a half.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I think I was eleven years old when my Dad put me to work digging out irrigation ditches to earn money so I could buy new fenders for my Honda mini-bike. Incidentally, I am still cleaning out irrigation ditches and I fully understand why Dad wanted me to do it back then.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I have so many favorites I cannot choose one, but I must say that Educated by Tara Westover is a book every Idahoan should read.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Luke Skywalker

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

In the Marines we joked that if the Commandant wanted you to have a wife, he would issue you one. I never received that issue, my loss.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The Governor lays out his goals in the State of the State address and the legislature may or may not choose to advance the Governor's agenda. Frankly, I would like to see the legislature pay more attention to the agenda as laid out by Idaho's Governors instead of getting sidetracked with endless culture wars issues that do nothing for the average citizen other than costing them extra money allocated to the legislative members for all the extra days they put in each session debating nonsense.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Idaho is perceived as a very backward and intolerant state to live in. This has real consequences when it comes to attracting business to our state, students to our colleges and universities, and employees for existing businesses. I don't know if a decade is enough time to turnaround this perception, or enough time to right the wrongs that have led to this not unreasonable conclusion, but we have to start sometime, and the best time to start is now.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe in a citizen legislature where everyday citizens decide policy instead of entrenched politicians propped up by corporate sponsors.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I believe it is best to maintain cordial relations with other legislators from both parties. One never knows when the opposition on one issue could become an ally on another. I do believe in teamwork, and expect to generally favor the consensus from my caucus on most issues, but I also believe it is important to maintain independence in order to fully represent the interest of my constituents in District 22.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I think I am a fairly unique individual. None of us agree with anyone on everything, and I am not interested in emulating anyone else. I prefer to forge my own path.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Not necessarily from residents of my district, but I have heard numerous personal accounts on Boise State Public Radio from health care professionals and their patients regarding the struggles they are facing under Idaho's short sighted anti-abortion laws. One woman had to leave the state for an abortion because carrying her unviable fetus to term was sure to eliminate her ability to have children in the future. A doctor talked about the inability to make proper medical decisions in the face of law that renders medically correct decisions illegal. Another professional discussed the mass migration of OBGYNs out of Idaho, and the effect it is having on all women who need routine care as well as those who need emergency care. My ninety-three year old mother needs care every quarter and has lost two OBGYNs she was previously seeing in Meridian. This situation effects every woman in Idaho.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Politicians are like diapers because they need to be changed regularly for the same reason.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

The use of emergency powers should reside in the Governor's office. The Legislature has no jurisdiction over the National Guard and most certainly should not be allowed to empower private militias, as some have proposed.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

I would love to see some sunshine legislation that reveals the financial interests of all serving legislators.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I have some individual endorsements on my website lorenpettyforidaho.com I hope to add more.

What committees interest you?

I am interested in Health and Welfare because I would like to help undo some of the damaging regulations put in place by short sighted legislation that ignores medical science and the testimony of local medical practitioners. I am also interested in Transportation and Defense. Transportation is a big issue in my district as it is suffering severe growing pains. And I choose Defense because I think it is important to have a Veteran on that committee.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I am frankly appalled at the lack of transparency in our state government. Legislators routinely advance legislation that benefits them personally, from tax breaks skewed to favor the one percent, to attacks on public schools designed to promote their private schools. There is no oversight of conflicts of interest other than the voters who are generally woefully uninformed regarding the financial interests of their representatives, because the Idaho media does not report on it.