He’s back at it again…
Scott Herndon recently mailed a fundraising letter to District 1 households. The return address reads “Scott Herndon, Idaho State Senate.” He has not been a senator since losing to Jim Woodward in May 2024. The campaign begins exactly as it always does.
Some voters will remember 2022. That was the year Herndon hired a Las Vegas consulting firm to fill our mailboxes with a photograph of Jim Woodward on a sign
reading “I ♥ ILLEGALS.” After winning, Herndon praised the firm’s “creative talents.”
He’s back — and so are the methods.
The 2026 letter attacks Woodward’s voting record using the same technique: strip the context, reverse the meaning, attach an alarming label. Two examples:
Herndon claims Woodward “voted to make public lands inaccessible.” The bill he cites — SB 1086 — makes it a trespass violation to ignore posted land use restrictions. It does not close a single acre of public land. It enforces rules that already exist.
Woodward voted for it. More importantly, the bill never became law — it died in the House Resources and Conservation Committee before the Governor ever saw it. A bill that never passed, that Woodward supported, somehow becomes evidence that Woodward wants to close public lands.
Herndon also claims Woodward voted against a school choice tax credit — HB93 – and this one is accurate. So did fifteen other senators. Before signing it, Governor Little admitted “there’s not enough accountability in it.” Thirty–two thousand Idahoans called Little’s office urging a veto. Woodward voted with those Idahoans.
The organization scoring Herndon’s votes — the Idaho Freedom Foundation — had four of its own board members donate directly to his 2024 campaign.
Jim Woodward grew up here, served 21 years in the Navy, and came home to build a business in Sagle. Let’s keep him as our Senator. Vote May 19.
Bob Clark
Sagle
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SOURCES: McShane LLC 2022 mailers — documented archive. “Creative talents” quote — Herndon written
testimonial post–2022 campaign. SB 1086 — 2025 Idaho Legislature, died in House Resources and Conservation
Committee. HB 93 — signed February 27, 2025; 32,366 calls to veto vs. 5,091 to sign (KTVB, March 2025); Governor
Little quote — documented. Conservative senators NAY votes — Idaho Legislature Journal of the Senate. IFF board
donations — Idaho Secretary of State Sunshine reports, sunshine.sos.idaho.gov.
Yes – He IS back at it again! In April of 2022, Scott Herndon claimed he was endorsed by the Boundary County Republican Central Committee and posted as such to his campaign website. That was not true. The BCRCC did not endorse for primary elections. A primary election is for the voters (not the party bosses) to pick their politicians. In fact the Idaho GOP has a statement on their website page for the primary that says, “The Idaho GOP does not endorse primary candidates.” https://idgop.org/2026-primary-candidates/
But that did not discourage Mr. “back at it again” Herndon. A recent mailing “Bonner and Boundary County Official Republican Voter Guide” lists “Republican Endorsed” candidates.
And who were the “Republicans” that endorsed? It appears it was a group in Bonner County. That alone should raise questions about this 24 page mailer. It should raise questions about the integrity of those behind this project. (Herndon is the chair of the Bonner County Republican Central Committee)
If we value the principles upon which this Republic was founded, it is up to us to do the required maintenance work and to thoroughly research our candidates. Those endorsements and rating scales? Be skeptical!
Mmmm hmmm. And yet we’re supposed to accept as gospel the “North Idaho Voter Services” endorsements instead – that which is splashed near the very top of the 9b News home page? Who funds them? We all know the answer – Democrats and Democrat interests. Don’t be lecturing me or Mr. Herndon on “integrity” when those who put out the “North Idaho Voter Services” guides won’t just come out and admit who is funding said “Voter Services.”
As for the Boundary County GOP Central Committee, if its own website hasn’t even been updated in EIGHT YEARS and doesn’t have current Internet security protocols in place (go see for yourself at boundarycountygop.com), then I guess it’s up to Herndon and the Bonner County GOP Central Committee to do the work of its counterpart in Boundary County to furnish primary voters with more in-depth information on their election candidates. Hooray for the First Amendment and freedom of speech!