00:00:00:00 - 00:00:40:04
Lindsay Allen
Welcome to the 2024 General election meet the candidate forum. My name is Lindsay Allen and I am joined by Naomi Boutz. We will be your moderators for the 2024 Meet the Candidates series. This year's forum is sponsored by the Hagadone Media Group, Quicksilver Studios, and the Joint Public Policy Committee of the Coeur d'Alene regional, Hayden, Post Falls, and Rathdrum Chambers of Commerce in partnership with the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls Press.

00:00:40:06 - 00:01:05:17
Lindsay Allen
This forum is intended to allow you, the voter, to hear from the candidates representing various Idaho state legislative …

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:40:04
Lindsay Allen
Welcome to the 2024 General election meet the candidate forum. My name is Lindsay Allen and I am joined by Naomi Boutz. We will be your moderators for the 2024 Meet the Candidates series. This year's forum is sponsored by the Hagadone Media Group, Quicksilver Studios, and the Joint Public Policy Committee of the Coeur d'Alene regional, Hayden, Post Falls, and Rathdrum Chambers of Commerce in partnership with the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls Press.

00:00:40:06 - 00:01:05:17
Lindsay Allen
This forum is intended to allow you, the voter, to hear from the candidates representing various Idaho state legislative and Kootenai County positions who will share their vision and policies to help inform your vote. Candidates will be given one minute to introduce themselves, then asked three questions with two minutes to respond to each question. Candidates will be allowed one minute for their closing statements.

00:01:05:18 - 00:01:49:01
Lindsay Allen
These forums provide a unique opportunity to connect with the candidate who seek to serve our community. By meeting our candidates one on one in a more casual environment, we aim to better inform Kootenai County voters about each candidate's point of view.

00:02:17:18 - 00:02:38:16
Lindsay Allen
We are here with Loree Peery. She is running for state representative, district two, seat A. Loree, you will have one minute to give us an introduction to the audience.

Loree Peery
Okay. I just want to say thank you to the Chamber of Commerce for having me. I really am impressed with what the chamber does. So I'm Loree Peery, I'm a mom.

00:02:38:16 - 00:03:06:00
Loree Peery
I'm married. I have two children. I'm a sixth generation Idahoan. I grew up in Post Falls. I'm a product of Idaho public schools, and I'm running for office in Legislative District two, seat A for the state representative seat.

Lindsay Allen
We have question one. You will have two minutes to answer these questions.

Loree Peery
Okay.

Lindsay Allen
What is the most significant issue you believe the state legislature should address for district two?

00:03:06:02 - 00:03:27:08
Loree Peery
Well, that's a really good question. I think a lot of my fellow candidates are going to address the education issue, which is also very high on my priority list. But I have been knocking on a lot of doors in district two. And another issue, which is also close to my heart, is an operating room nurse is our abortion ban.

00:03:27:10 - 00:03:52:07
Loree Peery
It, in my mind, is too extreme. It endangers the women in the state of Idaho, not only pregnant women, it puts pregnant women at risk, but it also puts all women at risk. Because we've lost 22% of our OB GYNs, we've lost half of our, high risk OBs. We've closed labor and delivery units. I live in Spirit Lake.

00:03:52:09 - 00:04:11:09
Loree Peery
I know that in Bonner County, the Sandpoint Hospital closed their labor and delivery unit. It's a it's a health care desert for pregnant women between Bonners Ferry and Coeur d'Alene. And this is very troubling to me as an operating room nurse, I know exactly what happens when pregnancies go bad, and it can be very risky for women.

00:04:11:11 - 00:04:33:04
Loree Peery
So I would like to bring our doctors back. I would like to get rid of the abortion ban. I think it's between a physician. It's a between a woman and her physician. What she decides to do. It's not the business of the state legislature. I think this is government overreach. And as a nurse, I'm very concerned about the health and safety of women in Idaho. As a result.

00:04:33:06 - 00:05:04:10
Lindsay Allen
Legislators often receive input from advocacy groups and organizations, as well as your constituents. How will you balance these perspectives when supporting or opposing legislation and what steps will you take to ensure transparency for your constituents?

Loree Peery
That's a really good question. Also, I think I would follow one of the candidates in district six, and she has a rule that she applies to everything when she considers legislation.

00:05:04:12 - 00:05:36:23
Loree Peery
Who does it help? Who does it harm? What does it cost? What will be the benefits? What will be the drawbacks? And I was consistently speak with my, constituents in district two and get their opinions on things I would on things I would ask the experts when it comes to legislation. I don't feel like we should be telling librarians, nurses, doctors, teachers how to do their jobs.

00:05:36:23 - 00:06:06:18
Loree Peery
I think we need to, include all the stakeholders that will be affected by the legislation and get the get their input. And I would obviously, I'm not an expert on everything. I would have to talk to the experts in order to make an informed decision on how to legislate.

Lindsay Allen
Thank you. Question three if proposition one passes, will you support it or will you vote to repeal it?

00:06:06:20 - 00:06:36:15
Loree Peery
No. I think proposition one is a great idea. I personally collected many signatures for proposition one because I think it will bring a representative voice back to Idahoans. I think it will allow all Idahoans to vote in the primaries we have. We know that we have 270,000 Idahoans now that we that don't choose to register with a party, whether Democratic or Republican, and don't get anything on their ballot for the primary, don't have a choice.

00:06:36:17 - 00:07:00:09
Loree Peery
And I think this would give everybody the chance to vote. I think that it would moderate our state. I think it would get rid of extremes, whether they're from the right or the left. And I think it would be I all in all, I think it would benefit the state and give the voters a better voice in choosing who, who their legislatures legislators are. Sorry.

00:07:00:10 - 00:07:25:15
Lindsay Allen
Thank you. Okay. You will have one minute for a closing statement.

Loree Peery
Okay. I ran for office because, my my opponent was not opposed in the last election or the last election cycle. And I think everybody deserves to have or everybody should have a choice in who they vote for. I jumped into the race not because I thought I'd be a good legislator, but I.

00:07:25:18 - 00:07:53:05
Loree Peery
I felt like I would represent the people of Idaho better. The cannibalism bill was kind of the tipping point for me. She introduced a bill against cannibalism, which I don't believe is the biggest problem in Idaho. She signs a loyalty oath to the Idaho Freedom Foundation, which I don't think represents the people of Idaho. I think Idahoans do deserve better representation, and I promise to represent the people of district two if I'm elected.

00:07:53:06 - 00:08:20:01
Loree Peery
Thank you so much.

Lindsay Allen
Thank you. Lori.

Naomi Boutz
On behalf of the Joint Public Policy Committees representing the Coeur d'Alene regional, Hayden and Post Falls and Rathdrum Chambers of Commerce in partnership with the Hagaone Media Group and Coeur d'AlenePost Falls Press. Lindsay and I thank all candidates for participating. I would also like to thank the production team members at the Quicksilver Studios, the Hagadone Media Group, and the Coeur d'Alene press.

00:08:20:03 - 00:08:41:06
Naomi Boutz
And of course, thank you to those who have taken the time to learn more about each of the candidates featured in this year's Meet the Candidates series. This series has made it possible to hear from 23 Kootenai County local race candidates. We sincerely thank candidates who took the time to discuss what is important to voters in Kootenay County.

00:08:41:08 - 00:09:17:02
Naomi Boutz
We hope this townhall forum has helped inform those still uncertain about whom they will cast a final ballot for in the coming weeks. Please remember to vote. It's one of the most significant rights and responsibilities as Americans. The fundamental message this year is cast informed votes. Thank you.