As he attempts to gain a foothold in Idaho’s gubernatorial race, political neophyte Ammon Bundy is leaning heavily into his personal mythos as an anti-government activist, and angling to convert his name recognition from battles with state and federal officials into votes at the ballot box.
But Bundy’s ability to convince voters to abandon traditional Republicans for his own quixotic candidacy — which includes pledges to ban all abortions, as well as seize control of all federal lands in the state — could be a long shot, even in solidly red Idaho.
"Sometimes an outsider candidate can get a lot of traction … but we still have time to go before we get there," explained Jaclyn Kettler, a political scientist at Boise State University. "In a crowded primary like this, it can be hard to know. There will be people who find that appealing, but how the broader electorate views him will be really interesting to watch."
Republican Gov. Brad Little — who won his first term in 2018 after narrowly clinching the GOP primary against then-Rep. Raúl Labrador and businessman Tommy Ahlquist — is expected to seek reelection. Although state records show he is fundraising, he has yet to announce his intentions.
Bundy has likewise made a name for himself in Idaho by opposing the state’s pandemic response, and used the state as a base for his People’s Rights organization, which advocates for people to organize to oppose what they see as government overreach.
...But as he looks to take on experienced politicians, Bundy still relies heavily on two incidents that brought him national attention: the 2014 armed standoff with federal agents near his father’s Bunkerville, Nev., ranch, and the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon that was sparked by the incarceration of father-and-son ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond on arson charges.
In a 3-minute campaign video released Sunday, Bundy included footage of the 2014 incident.
"It is an unfair fight when the federal government unlawfully attacks the people," says Bundy, dressed in a blazer and cowboy hat before an American flag background.
As the video shows images of protesters on horseback and federal agents backing up in front of a crowd, Bundy continues: "Thankfully, like-minded patriots across the country stood with us as we fought back against federal tyranny to protect our land and our rights."...MORE
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