IDAHO: GOP Rep Behind Anti-LGBT “Defense Act” Loses Gubernatorial Bid, Gambled Away His US House Seat

The Idaho Statesman reports:

Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little won Tuesday’s Republican primary to replace Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, who is retiring after three terms. Little, 64 and Otter’s handpicked successor, defeated a handful of challengers, most prominently Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) and Boise businessman Tommy Ahlquist.

Labrador is the fourth Republican member of Congress to gamble on statewide office and lose this year; another GOP incumbent, Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-N.C.), was unseated in his primary last week. Republican Russ Fulcher, 56, won the GOP primary to replace Labrador in Idaho’s 1st congressional district.

Labrador last appeared on JMG when he told his town hall audience that “nobody dies” in the United States because they don’t have access to health care.

In 2016, Labrador authored the House version of the so-called First Amendment Defense Act, which would legalize anti-LGBT discrimination nationwide. A Senate version of the bill was reintroduced earlier this year by Sen. Mike Lee, but so far Labrador has not reintroduced his House version.